Sinners director Ryan Coogler developing new adaptation of best-selling book series that previously inspired cult TV show

Ryan Coogler is lining up his next major TV project, with a new adaptation of the hugely popular Animorphs novels in early development at Disney+.

The acclaimed filmmaker – fresh from Oscar success for Sinners – will executive produce the series, with writer Bayan Wolcott attached to pen the project, Variety reports.

Based on the best-selling book series by Katherine Applegate and Michael Grant, Animorphs follows a group of teenagers who discover a secret alien invasion and gain the ability to morph into animals in order to fight back. The series blends sci-fi action with coming-of-age drama, as the characters balance high school life with a covert war for Earth’s survival.

First published in 1996, the franchise became a global phenomenon, spanning 54 main books and selling more than 35 million copies worldwide.

This won’t be the first time the series has been adapted for the screen. A live-action Animorphs show aired on Nickelodeon between 1998 and 2000, running for two seasons and later gaining a cult following among fans of the books.

The new Disney+ version is described as following “a group of teenagers who uncover a hidden threat lurking beneath their everyday lives, all while juggling relationships, curfews, and the chaos of high school”.

Coogler has become one of Hollywood’s most celebrated directors thanks to a back catalogue that includes Fruitvale Station, Creed and Marvel juggernaut Black Panther, cementing his reputation for combining blockbuster scale with character-driven storytelling.

He is currently working under an overall deal with Disney, which also includes a reboot of The X-Files.

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