‘I Lost My Body’ Studio Xilam Teaming With UGC On Hybrid Series Adaptation Of Sci-Fi Bestseller ‘Empire Of The Ants’

I Lost My Body producer Xilam Animation and UGC are partnering to produce a television adaptation of Bernard Werber’s long-selling sci-fi novel Empire of the Ants.

The book, which has sold 7 million copies worldwide, will be reimagined as a family-targeted series that intercuts two investigations: a live-action storyline that probes the murder of ant expert Edmond Wells, and a VFX-driven narrative set inside an ant colony facing an existential threat.

The adaptation is being written by Vladimir Haulet, with photo-realistic VFX direction led by Nicolas Deveaux (I Lost My Body) and Quentin Reubrecht (Arcane). Production is headed by Marc du Pontavice and Caterina Gonnelli for Xilam, alongside Franck Calderon and Céline d’Asaro Biondo for UGC.

In a release, Werber expressed enthusiasm for the series adaptation of his literary universe, saying:

I am thrilled to see Empire of the Ants finally come to life on screen. This adaptation from such creative powerhouses as UGC and Xilam will bring a unique level of ambition to my universe. I look forward to audiences experiencing this work in a new form.

This will be the first time Empire of the Ants has been adapted into a series, although the book has been adapted twice as a video game. In 2000, Microïds released a PC strategy title based on the novel, which the company revisited last year with a modern remake developed in collaboration with Tower Five. The updated version is available on Playstation and Xbox consoles and PC, and has earned mostly positive reviews on Steam.