Doug Liman to direct adaptation of forthcoming novel 'Railhead'

The "Bourne Identity" and "Edge of Tomorrow" director is in talks to direct an adaptation of steampunk novel "Railhead."

Although the sci-fi story isn't yet published -- Oxford University Press has it scheduled for fall 2015 -- its author, Philip Reeve, already has to his name the acclaimed "Mortal Engines" series, which attracted the attention of "Lord of the Rings" director Peter Jackson.

OUP only acquired "Railhead" for world distribution in March, with the head of publishing describing it as "full of mind-blowing but utterly compelling ideas, along with unforgettable characters -- human and otherwise."

In terms of plot, it's conceptually not too dissimilar to that of Disney's August 2014 "Guardians of the Galaxy": "The main character is a petty thief hired to steal an object that happens to be more important than he was led to believe, setting off an adventure that could change the course of the galaxy," reads the The Hollywood Reporter's synopsis.