Syfy to adapt Philip K. Dick's novel 'The Man in the High Castle'

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NEW YORK, Feb. 11 (UPI) -- Hollywood writer-producer Frank Spotnitz is working on a 4-hour TV miniseries based on Philip K. Dick's classic novel, "The Man in the High Castle," Syfy said.

Spotnitz and Ridley Scott are producing the project, which was announced Monday by Mark Stern, Syfy's president of original content and co-head of original content for Universal Cable Productions.

Spotnitz will pen the first 2 hours of the miniseries and supervise the writing of the second 2 hours. The writer of the second half of the program has not been determined yet.

The story is set in a world in which Nazi Germany and Japan were victorious in World War II, the cable network said.

"Alternate history stories are part of an amazing and intricate genre of sci-fi," said Stern in a statement. "When done well, there's nothing better; and I can't think of better creative talent to bring Philip K. Dick's fascinating alternate-history thriller to life than Ridley Scott and Frank Spotnitz."

"Ridley Scott is one of my all-time favorite filmmakers and this is one of my all-time favorite books, so I am incredibly honored and thrilled to have this opportunity," Spotnitz said.

"'The Man in The High Castle' is one of Dick's most imaginative and captivating works and certainly one of my favorites. I am pleased to team up with the singular Frank Spotnitz and Syfy, Headline Pictures, Electric Shepherd and FremantleMedia International to bring this epic to audiences who will find this story as intriguing and riveting as we do," said Scott.

One of Scott's most celebrated films is an adaptation of Dick's "Blade Runner." Other films based on works by Dick include "A Scanner Darkly," "Total Recall," "Minority Report," "Paycheck," "Next," "Screamers" and "The Adjustment Bureau."

Spotnitz worked on TV's "The X Files" for eight of its nine seasons.