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Lauren Beukes’ The Shinning Girls, Adichie’s Americanah, Uzodinma Iweala’s Beast of No Nation, and now Ahmed Khaled Towfik’s Utopia. [See HERE, HERE, and HERE]

The Egyptian bestselling novel is the latest in a growing collection of African novels optioned for the big screen.

Set in 2023, it tells the story of a dystopian world where an affluent class living in a city called Utopia and the have-nots living in a region called Cairo are locked in bitter conflict.

According to Variety, Egyptian director Rami Imam, known for local hit TV series, is the mastermind behind the project.

Imam is thinking big with the project, which he says will definitely be capital-intensive. While his production company is spearheading the project, he is also pulling some international strings.

“Utopia requires a gargantuan and exceptional effort in visual and special effects, a la Marvel Studios, including greenscreens and CG shots highlighting both worlds,” says Imam.

This is really exciting news. If all goes well, Imam will join Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9 and Elysium, in a growing group of writers and filmmakers putting African sci-fi on the map.

Congrats to Towfik and Imam. Wishing them all the best!