Universal Pictures landed the film rights to “Panic,” the next young adult novel from Lauren Oliver ("Delirium"), in a bidding war.
The seven-figure deal closed on Monday night, according to an individual familiar with the negotiations. HarperCollins imprint Harper Teen will publish the book in spring 2014.
Marc Platt will produce the project for Universal, which is keeping plot details under wraps. Maradith Frenkel, Universal's VP of production, will oversee the project for the studio.
"Panic" is described as Oliver’s return to the realism and grittiness of her first novel “Before I Fall,” which was optioned in 2010 by Fox 2000.