Joe Cornish to write, direct 'Snow Crash' adaptation

Published Jun 15 2012, 09:55 BST  |  By Tom Eames

Joe Cornish has signed up to helm an upcoming movie adaptation of Snow Crash.

The Attack the Block director will write and direct the project, after the rights were acquired by Paramount Pictures, reports Deadline.

The 1992 cyberpunk bestseller by Neal Stephenson was originally under development by Paramount soon after its release but plans fell through.

The original novel takes place in the near future, where the US has turned into a collection of corporate city-states, and private enterprises and the mafia are in control of the nation.

The plot centres around a computer virus and drug named Snow Crash that is transmitted through computer screen to its users.

It follows lead character Hiro Protagonist, a computer hacker, samurai swordsman and pizza delivery man who attempts to halt the ongoing control of the elite.

Snow Crash has become a cult favourite among cyberpunks, and was listed in Time magazine's list of 100 all-time best English-language novels written since 1923.

Disney had taken on the project several years ago from Paramount, but it failed to materialise.

Kathleen Kennedy and Kennedy/Marshall will produce, and it is said to be a priority after Kennedy introduced the novel to Cornish.

Joe Cornish was considered for the director position for the Hunger Games sequel Catching Fire.