Wes Ball to helm feature film adaptation of The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August

Wes Ball, known for directing the Maze Runner series of films, has been tapped to direct the feature film adaptation of Claire North's science fiction novel, The First Fifteen Lives of Harry August. The rights were acquired by Amblin Partners.

The novel follows a Groundhog Day-like narrative about a man who is reborn again and again into his present life. When a rival turns out to be a threat, he makes a plan to save the world.  

It was a recipient of the John W Campbell Memorial Award for Best Science Fiction Novel and was nominated for the Arthur C Clarke Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. 

Melissa Iqbal of Humans and The Nevers fame has penned the screenplay. Pete Czernin and Graham Broadbent (Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) and Joe Hartwick Jr (The Maze Runner) are jointly bankrolling it.

In addition to this project, there were reports of Ball developing a new addition to the Planet of the Apes franchise.