Tradecraft: The Ludlum Pact

Variety reports that Universal has signed an exclusive pact with Ludlum Entertainment, executors of the late author's estate. The deal not only gives the studio exclusive rights to the highly lucrative Jason Bourne character, but also a first-look option at Ludlum's vast library of more than twenty-five unfilmed titles. All such projects will be developed with Ludlum Entertainment, whose CEO Jeffrey Weiner will set up offices on the Universal lot. According to the trade, Weiner will "hire development executives as the company takes an active hand in developing projects, including some not based on books by Ludlum." The studio is already developing The Sigma Protocol with Strike Entertainment.

The upshot of this deal should be more Ludlum novels coming to the big screen, something the author's fans have long known was a natural fit, but which Hollywood has been slow picking up on. Fortunately, the billion dollar plus Bourne franchise has lit a fire at Universal!