David Koepp to Helm New 'Westworld' Film for Warner Bros.

David Koepp is set to tackle a fresh take on Westworld, returning to the source material that started it all.

The acclaimed screenwriter—known for bringing Michael Crichton's Jurassic Park to the screen in 1993 alongside two sequels—is now developing a new film adaptation of Crichton's 1973 sci-fi classic. This time around, the project will be produced for Warner Bros.

The original Westworld follows an exclusive resort where wealthy guests can live out their Old West fantasies, complete with android gunfighters. The premise takes a dark turn when one of the robots malfunctions and begins attacking visitors. Crichton both wrote and directed that initial film, which featured Yul Brynner, Richard Benjamin, and James Brolin. It was originally made for MGM.

The property has had a complex history. Following the original 1973 film came a 1976 sequel called Futureworld and a short-lived 1980 television series titled Beyond Westworld.

More recently, HBO's Westworld series—created by Lisa Joy and Jonah Nolan and featuring Evan Rachel Wood, Jeffrey Wright, and Thandiwe Newton—ran for four seasons before being canceled. The new Koepp project appears to be a separate endeavor rather than a continuation of that show, though details about any potential connection between the film and the television series remain unclear.

Koepp's upcoming slate includes Steven Spielberg's Disclosure Day, arriving in June.