UPDATE: Legendary Pictures Seals Acquisition Of Sci-Fi Novel ‘Brilliance;’ ‘Oz’s Joe Roth And Palak Patel To Produce

UPDATE, 6:03 PM: Legendary has confirmed Deadline’s scoop that it bought the Marcus Sakey novel Brilliance. In addition, it has attached Oz The Great And Powerful’s Joe Roth and Palak Patel to be the film’s producers. Alex Hedlund will oversee it for Legendary.

PREVIOUS EXCLUSIVE, 5:06 PM: Legendary Pictures is in negotiations to acquire Brilliance, a book by Marcus Sakey that some are likening to X-Men. The author, who wrote The Blade Itself and Good People, here focuses on an alternate present-day scenario where 1% of children are born savants with special powers. Called “brilliants,” they are capable of exceptional things. A federal agent, who uses his skills to become a master hunter of terrorists, pursues a savant terrorist who intends to provoke civil war. The book will be published in July by Thomas & Mercer/Amazon Books. Earlier today, Fox, the home studio for X-Men, seemed to be in the driver’s seat, making an offer with a ticking clock, but that expired with no deal. CAA and Trident Media rep the author.