‘It’ Producer to Develop Wilderness Horror Movie ‘Sunburnt Country’

By Dave McNary

LOS ANGELES (Variety.com) – A feature film adaptation of Gabriel Bergmoser’s novel ”Sunburnt Country” is in development from “It” producer Roy Lee alongside Jon Berg and Greg Silverman.

The story centers on a pair of millennial backpackers who go off-roading in the Australian wilderness and stumble upon a reclusive backwater town where they quickly realize that the locals hunt and kill outsiders for sport. They seek help from an elderly rest stop attendant and his granddaughter.

Lee’s credits include both “” movies, “The Ring,” “The Grudge,” the “Lego” movies, and “The Departed.”

Berg joined Vertigo in 2017 after serving as Warner Bros.’ co-president of production for a year and overseeing the studio’s DC films. Berg’s DC credits include “Justice League,” “Wonder Woman,” “Aquaman,” and the upcoming “Doctor Sleep.”

Silverman is the former president of Warner Bros. Pictures. His Stampede shingle is in production on its first movie, “Pink Skies Ahead,” starring Jessica Barden.

Bergmoser is a Melbourne based playwright and author with novels including “Boone Shepard,” “Boone Shepard’s American Adventure” and “Boone Shepard: The Silhouette and the Sacrifice.” His plays include “Below Babylon,” “Beyond Babylon,” “The Last Supper” and the Beatles comedy “We Can Work It Out.”

Bergmoser is repped by Jerry Kalajian at Intellectual Property Group and Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown Australia. U.S. book rights will be handled by Katelyn Detweiler at Grinberg Literary on behalf of Tara Wynne at Curtis Brown Australia.