DreamWorks Acquires Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes

DreamWorks is picking up projects right and left, the latest being Michael Crichton's Pirate Latitudes. CEO and Co-Chairman of DreamWorks Studios Stacey Snider announced the acquisition and revealed David Koepp will be adapting the novel. Steven Spielberg is producing as well as considering directing.

Pirates Latitudes will be published in November by HarperCollins after the complete manuscript was discovered by Crichton's assistant following his death. The story is set in 1665 and, according to DreamWorks, is about "a daring plan to infiltrate Port Royal, one of the world's richest and most notorious cities, and raid a Spanish galleon filled with treasure."

“Michael Crichton was one of our greatest storytellers who expanded all of our imaginations with his books, films, and television,” said Steven Spielberg in a press release. “With the E.R. series and Jurassic Park series, I enjoyed one of the best collaborations of my career. Now with Pirate Latitudes, I and all of us at DreamWorks have the chance to be excited about bringing this new Michael Crichton work to the screen."

Screenwriter Koepp adapted both of Crichton's Jurassic Park books and is looking forward to tackling Pirate Latitudes. "Michael was a scrupulous researcher and one of the most innovative writers of our era,” said David Koepp. “To have gotten to work with one of his novels was a privilege; to work with three seems like a dream.”

_{(Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images)}

Follow Me on Twitter