Palahniuk’s Haunted

Author Chuck Palahniuk may not exactly write the most commercial material (FIGHT CLUB, CHOKE), but he certainly has a considerable fan base. In fact, that fan base (aka “The Cult”) is usually the best source of any updates on his film adaptations, from the mouth of the fan-friendly and constantly touring novelist himself. But this one came from the trades for a change.

Palahniuk’s book HAUNTED is now getting the feature treatment, courtesy of new production company New School Media and Koen Mortier, who will write and direct. Mortier is a commercial director who also directed the recent festival fave EX-DRUMMER. Judging by the presentation of the novel, he’ll have his work cut out adapting it for film.

The multiple-perspective story, a satirical poke at reality TV, involves a number of individuals on a secret writers retreat. But they discover they’re trapped by their hosts until they each write a story, and the unwitting contestants end up sabotaging each other’s chances for survival. Makes for great stories, though.