Warner Bros. Pictures and De Line Pictures have bought the rights to Ready Player One, the first novel by Fanboys screenwriter Ernie Cline. The sale occurred a day after the book scored a publishing deal from Random House for North American rights. The property is described as follows:
In the near future, outcast teenager Wade Watts escapes from his bleak surroundings by logging in to the OASIS, a globally networked virtual utopia where users can lead idyllic alternate lives. When the eccentric billionaire who created the OASIS dies, he offers up his vast fortune as the prize in an elaborate treasure hunt. Along with gamers from around the world, Wade joins the adventure, and quickly finds himself pitted against powerful corporate foes and other ruthless competitors who will do anything, in the oasis or the real world, to reach the treasure first.
Cline will write the script from the film, to be produced by Donald De Line (upcoming Green Lantern) and Dan Farah.
