Universal is wasting no time in getting their adaptation of Joe Hill and Gabriel Rodriguez’s Locke & Key off the ground. The studio acquired the rights to IDW Publishing’s supernatural graphic novel series last month and this week, they’ve brought on Henry Poole is Here scribe Albert Torres to pen the screenplay.
Torres’ resume is a bit lacking at the moment, though he’s reportedly been busy “tackling heavy-hitting tentpoles.” He worked on a draft of Warner Brothers’ own long-gestating graphic novel adaptation, Akira, as well as scripts for Silver Pictures’ Ben 10 and Paramount’s adaptation of the Dark Horse comic, Hyde.
The story of Locke & Key focuses on teenagers who go to live with their mother in her Massachusetts home after the murder of their father. Once there, the three kids find that the sprawling mansion, called Keyhouse, holds many secrets behind its closed doors, which can be unlocked using a set of keys that give the user supernatural abilities. And, as if that weren’t enough for them to swallow, they also have to keep away from a devious demon who wants the keys for himself.
It’s easy to see how Locke & Key could lend itself well to a big screen adaptation, and I hope that this time is the charm. Back in 2011, an adaptation nearly materialized over on Fox TV, but never made it past the pilot episode. The creative minds behind that particular iteration, production duo Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci, are on board for Universal’s attempt as well. They’re joined by Bobby Cohen and IDW publishing CEO Ted Adams, who will help with producing duties.
We will, of course, keep you posted on more Locke & Key news as it develops.