Warner Bros. buys the rights to a sci-fi trilogy by David Goyer

In what Deadline’s calling a “seven-figure preemptive bid”, Warner Bros. has picked up the film rights to a planned trilogy of science fiction novels written by David Goyer (SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL, THE UNBORN) and television writer Michael Cassutt (“Beverly Hills, 90210”, “The Twilight Zone”). The deal calls for Goyer to adapt Heaven’s Shadow, the first of his three books which is due out sometime in July of 2011.

Per Deadline: “The trilogy begins when an object is discovered heading for earth. Initial panic gives way to a competition between governments to be first to intercept what they believe is a breakaway meteor. What the astronauts discover leads to an encounter with alien forces that are a threat to humanity.”

The next two books, Heaven’s War and Heaven’s Fall, will be released in subsequent summers. And it’s no mystery as to why Goyer would make such a deal with WB; the filmmaker himself tells Deadline, “It’s a perfect project for Warner Bros and I’ve obviously enjoyed a long and fruitful working relationship with the studio.” That relationship of course extends into Goyer’s upcoming work on both BATMAN 3 and SUPERMAN: MAN OF STEEL, the re-invention of the iconic superhero that’s being shepherded by some dude named Chris Nolan.