Steven Spielberg has picked up the film rights to John Wyndham's sci-fi novel Chocky according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The book revolves around a boy whose consciousness is taken over by an alien entity. The boy's father's suspicions are triggered when his son begins to argue with his imaginary friend.
Wyndham's best known book is The Day Of The Triffids, which became a feature film in 1962.
Spielberg hopes to make Chocky his next project, but may face delays as the movie was initially housed at studio Paramount, where his directing deal expired earlier in the year.
The helmer's animated Tintin trilogy hit problems last week when Universal declined to split the cost of the $130 million project with Paramount. The project is on hold for the time being while Spielberg hammers out a deal with the studio to foot the entire bill for Tintin.
