Chuck Palahniuk is a difficult author to adapt for the screen. Following the success of Fight Club, studios were quick to snap up the rights to his other properties – including those of popular novels Invisible Monsters and Survivor. However, it wasn’t until 2008’s Choke, which starred Sam Rockwell, that we would see another one of his novels adapted – thankfully it was another winner, but unfortunately it flew by under the radar.
At the time of writing, a film adaptation of his 2008 novel Snuff is reportedly in development to be directed by Fabien Martorell. But now, another title is in the works to be brought to the screen. That’s right, Lullaby is currently in development, a collaboration with indie filmmakers Andy Mingo and Josh Leake, with Palahniuk himself penning a screenplay and serving as executive producer. Right now, they’re trying to raise funds for the project via a Kickstarter campaign.
Per the campaign: Lullaby follows the life of Carl Streator—an over the hill reporter whose family mysteriously died years prior. After being assigned to investigate a rash of mysterious infant deaths, he discovers the killer of his own family—an ancient culling song published as a lullaby in a simple children’s book. Carl sets out to destroy existing copies throughout the world but is surprised to learn that the people he once trusted to stop the deaths may be involved in the heinous acts.
When he was writing it, Lullaby provided a catharsis for Palahniuk, following the murder of his father at the hands of Dale Shackleford in 1999. It’s his most personal project to-date, while still retaining the biting satire that typifies all of his work. The novel was written during the time of the trial and released in 2002. It won the 2003 Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association Award, and was nominated for the Bram Stoker Award for Best Novel in 2002.
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Originally published May 23, 2016. Updated April 14, 2018.
