Just when you thought that the King of fictional horror had sole mandate on having his books adapted to celluloid, Dean Koontz enters New York Times Bestselling contender Odd Thomas to challenge The Stand and Dark Tower adaptation-hype. And much like the Stephen King megaliths, Odd Thomas looks to be pulling in some big guns – Academy Award winner Tim Robbins is reportedly very interested in the project, and a closing deal is potentially not far off. With Charlie Bartlett star Anton Yelchin in the lead and Phil Collins’ suddenly popular daughter Lily playing the love interest, Robbins’ attachment can only compound the film’s bankability.

The novel and its subsequent sequels follow a short order cook named Odd who sees and regularly communicates with the dead. Along with partner Stormy, he expectedly uses this preternatural talent to solve murders, prevent disasters and hang with Elvis. It’s standard Koontz contrivance, but incomplexity could work a hell of a lot better than the potentially ruinous attempts to pulp King’s heavy-going penmanship for the masses. Even if Javier Bardem is somewhat easier on the eye than old man Robbins.