Chalk up another novel to be added to the growing list of adaptations. However, unlike the recent purchases by the picture houses, this story is not a fantasy.
Universal Adapts Company
According to Variety, Universal Pictures has acquired screen rights to the Max Barry novel Company, which Steve Pink will adapt.
The novel, which Doubleday published in January, takes a satiric look at office politics through the eyes of a young business school grad who lands a low-level job at a major corporation.
Steve Pink co-wrote High Fidelity, and for Shady Acres he directed the comedy Accepted, which Universal will open in August.
Max Barry is no stranger to adaptations. The writer also wrote Jennifer Government, a novel that is being adapted by Sexy Beast scribes Louis Mellis and David Scinto for Section Eight.
Max Barry is also writing his own adaptation for one of his other books, Syrup, for Fortress Entertainment.
Barry, an Australian, honed his view of corporate hell when he took an entry-level job at Hewlett-Packard and was rescued when Syrup was published. Later, he hatched Corporateoppression.com, a web site featuring testimonials from ordinary people demoralized in the workplace.
Donna Langley and Holly Bario will oversee the project for Universal.
If you dig stories like Company you may also want to check out Startup, a book that takes you inside what it takes to create a large tech corporation (and compete against Microsoft). I had to read it during my entrepreneur program in college and would suggest it to anybody interested in business.
Add to Heffee!
