AceShowbiz -

Finally gearing up to bring videogame experience to the big screen, Paramount Pictures has successfully had comic book author Grant Morrison onboard to pen "Area 51", the company's film adaptation of Midway Games' hit videogame franchise of the same name.

Morrison, known widely for his three-volume work of "The Invisibles", will take the seat initially occupied by Dean Georgaris who wrote an earlier draft to the project. Rights to make the movie actually was obtained by Paramount from Midway four years ago.

Story is set in the U.S. government's most top-secret military facility and centers on a hazardous materials specialist who is called in to investigate a viral outbreak that could be extra-terrestrial in nature. Georgaris has already signed on to produce alongside his producing partner at Penn Station, Michael Aguilar, as well as with Stan Winston and Christine Peters.