EXCLUSIVE: In their first major deal since signing a first look deal at Universal Pictures, Lord Miller principals Phil Lord and Chris Miller will develop an original idea by Andy Weir, author of The Martian and Artemis, along with the graphic novel Cheshire Crossing. Universal quickly acquired the idea and a screenwriter will be hired soon.

A key man here is Aditya Sood, who runs Lord Miller and has a long relationship with the author. While at Simon Kinberg’s Genre Films, Sood produced the Ridley Scott-directed The Martian and set up Artemis with Lord and Miller, who are developing that as a directing project.

Sood subsequently came over to run Lord Miller when the filmmakers who hatched 21 Jump Street and The Lego Movie shopped for their first film deal. Sood will produce the film, with Weir serving as exec producer. Plot is being kept under wraps but is described as another problem-solving science fiction adventure. They will set a screenwriter quickly.

Lord Miller is represented by UTA and Ziffren Brittenham; Weir is repped by Launchbooks Literary Agency and Greenberg Glusker.