Mike Fleming

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures and producer Scott Stuber have optioned the Derek Haas spy thriller novel The Right Hand. Haas and his right hand man, screenwriting partner Michael Brandt, are set to adapt the book as a feature, and they will produce with Stuber. The book was chased by multiple producers and financiers, who responded to a trailer generated for the book.

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The scribes’ credits include Wanted, 2 Fast 2 Furious and 3:10 To Yuma, and Brandt and Haas just launched their NBC series creation Chicago Fire.

The Right Hand is the fourth novel that Haas has written, and it will be released November 13 by Mulholland Books. The novel focuses on Austin Clay, a spy whose work is so covert that the government won’t even admit he exists. And yet he executes necessary missions. Here, he is sent to track down a missing American operative, who was captured in the Russian countryside. This leads Clay into a conspiracy that involves a mole that has penetrated the top levels of U.S. government. Damien Saccani will be executive producer.

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Said Haas: “I’m thrilled The Right Hand is in the hands of Scott Stuber and Universal, with whom Michael and I have had incredible movie experiences. We love that after readers get a chance to discover this spy thriller in November, we’ll get to bring it to the screen ourselves.” WME, Industry Entertainment and Adam Kaller made the deal.

Here’s the trailer made the for book: