EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions has stepped up to buy a package based on the Dan Simmons horror novel Summer of Night. Mexican helmer Isaac Ezban is set to direct a script by Ben Poole, and Ehren Kruger & Daniel Bobker are producing. The deal comes after the success of coming-of-age horror hits It and Stranger Things.

Even though the novel was published in 1991 (it spawned a book series), the framework is familiar. The book revolves around a series of hauntingly sinister events that threaten a Midwestern town as a group of young teens unearths a centuries-old evil prophecy of biblical proportions. The Hugo-winning author’s novel The Terror separately was adapted for AMC as a Ridley Scott-produced series.

Ezban wrapped his English-language debut, Parallel, for Bron Studios. He made his directing debut on the nightmarish thriller The Incident and followed with The Similars, which won the award for Best Latin American Feature at the Sitges International Film Festival. Screenwriter Poole’s script Americatown made the Black List.

The producers made the deal while in post on Ophelia, the film that stars Daisy Ridley and Naomi Watts. The Kruger-scripted live-action reboot of Dumbo is in production with Tim Burton directing. The producing partners credits include The Ring, The Skeleton Key and The Brothers Grimm.

SPWA production veep Lauren Craniotes is overseeing the project. Ezban is repped by Paradigm, Good Fear and Michael Schenkman at Bloom Hergott, Poole is repped by Verve and Oasis Media Group, and the author was repped by Michael Prevett at Rain Management Group.