The screen rights to the Wild Cards superhero anthology series edited by George R.R. Martin have been acquired by Syfy Films, a joint venture between Syfy and Universal Pictures.

Co-creator of the shared universe Melinda Snodgrass will write the screenplay for the project. The Hollywood Reporter says Martin and Snodgrass will executive produce.

One of the unique aspects of the books ­ (the series has changed publishers several times, it is now on volume 22) is the way the characters evolve. Some age, some marry, some die, new ones are introduced, building a tapestry of stories. Meanwhile, on the author front, the senior generation of writers has made way for new ones such as Paul Cornell (Doctor Who) and Carrie Vaughn (the Kitty Norville book series). The many creators were one reason why dealmaking took months to wrap up before THR was able to exclusively report the news of the film project.