‘Dust' Board Game and Graphic Novel to Be Adapted for Film by ‘We're the Millers’ Director for Lionsgate

Lionsgate which acquired the rights to the cult-favorite Dust, the steampunk-themed tabletop game and graphic novel created by Italian fantasy illustrator Paolo Parente, announced that it will be developed and adapted for the big-screen by Rawson Marshall Thurber, best known for his work on 2013's surprise box office hit ensemble comedy We're the Millers starring Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Will Poulter, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn and Ed Helms.

Thurber will be teaming up with Dan Lin, one of the producers behind the commercially successful and critically acclaimed The LEGO Movie, and who is currently involved in the production of both the upcoming The Lego Batman Movie and the DC Comics-based Suicide Squad film projects.

The storyline for Dust takes place in an alternate 1940s timeline in a world that is divided into three blocs: the Allies, the Axis-which is no longer led by Hitler after he was successfully assassinated in Operation Valkyrie-and the SSU, a union of the USSR and China. In that world, WW II is still ongoing. Up to four players can participate in the board game, with each player battling it out within the world with futuristic weapons and combat robots.

Regarding the film adaptation of the popular board game, Thurber, via Paste Magazine, said: "It's a cool spin on a genre that I've loved for a long time and it opens up narrative avenues that are just thrilling. It's all my 9-year-old fantasies wrapped in one thing, a World War II mash-up." The project though is at the early stages of development and writers for the script are still being seeked out.

In related news, the Dust World Expo 2015, the annual celebration of Paolo Parente's world of Dust, will be held on March 27-29 in Mesa, Arizona at the Arizona Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. An immersive experience which attempts to surround attendees in a 1940's atmosphere, it features both Dust Championship events as well as this years special event Operation Dionysus. Those interested can just register with dustworldexpo.com.