Russo brothers to team up with It siblings for new apocalyptic sci-fi

Joe Russo and his brother Anthony are looking to join forces with the siblings behind this year’s hit horror remake It on a new sci-fi project.
The Captain America: Civil War filmmakers have purchased the rights to author Simon Stalenhag’s apocalyptic illustrated novel The Electric State through their Russo Brothers Studio banner after battling it out in an intense bidding war and now the duo are looking to collaborate with It director Andy Muschietti and his sister Barbara Muschietti.
Andy has been tapped to direct The Electric State and also produce the film alongside Barbara, the Russo brothers, Russell Ackerman and John Schoenfelder.
Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, the writers who have teamed up with the Russos on their past two Captain America franchise instalments as well as the two The Avengers sequels they are directing, will adapt Stalenhag’s book into the script.
The Electric State is set in an alternative timeline, based in a warped 1997 America. In the publication, Stalenhag’s profound hyper-realistic artwork helps drive the narrative, about a teenage runaway who travels through the trashy rubble of the country with a toy robot after the nation’s high-tech consumerist society falls into decline.
“The opportunity to partner with inspirational talents like Simon, Andy, Chris and Steve is exactly the reason we started our company,” the Russo brothers write in a statement to Deadline. “We can’t wait to help this team create something special.”
In addition to being tied to The Electric State, Andy and Barbara are already hard at work on It 2, after their cinematic reimagining of author Stephen King’s 1986 horror novel earned nearly $695 million (£517 million) at the international box office following the film’s release in September (17). Jessica Chastain has been dubbed as the favourite to star in the next It instalment and the actress has previously gushed about the opportunity, expressing her interest in joining the cast.