Amblin Partners has acquired the film rights to develop the podcast sci-fi thriller series “Carrier” as a film and has attached Cynthia Erivo to star and produce, an individual with knowledge of the project told TheWrap.
The “Carrier” audio podcast series was created by QCode and Dan Blank and starred the Oscar nominee. Blank will also write and direct the film at Amblin.
Erivo will reprise her role as Raylene, a truck driver who accepts an off-the-books, long hall trucking assignment to cover for her ill father. She soon realizes that her mysterious cargo is a threat to the world and various forces begin targeting her to control or destroy it.
Erivo will also serve as a producer, along with Automatik’s Brian Kavanaugh-Jones and QCode partner Rob Herting. Fred Berger and David Henning will executive produce.
Amblin Partners’ president of production Jeb Brody and creative executive John Buderwitz will oversee production for the studio.
“Carrier” was featured as one of the best podcasts of 2019 by Esquire magazine and was named Apple’s “Best Fiction Show of the Year.” Erivo both starred in and co-produced the seven-episode, original, scripted thriller.
“A great story can transcend its medium to find new forms and new audiences. Cynthia, Dan and QCode created a gripping and entertaining podcast that deserved all the praise and attention it garnered. We can’t wait to work with them to tell this story in its next evolution,” Brody said in a statement.
“It’s an absolute pleasure to be able to bring this podcast to the screen and marks the beginning of a new adventure in creativity for me as a producer,” Erivo said in a statement.
“We are thrilled to be working alongside Amblin Partners and their amazing creative team on adapting the ‘Carrier’ podcast to film. As producers, we’ve always envisioned a bigger life span for our content beyond podcasts, and we’re excited to watch this adaption, led by the brilliant Cynthia Erivo, come to life,” QCode’s Rob Herting said in a statement.
Cynthia Erivo is represented by UTA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and Peikoff Mahan Law Office.
“Carrier” marks QCode’s first feature film adaptation.
Deadline first reported the news of the project.