Leonardo DiCaprio is Entering the YA Sci-Fi Movie Game with Sandcastle Empire Adaptation

With the Hunger Games saga pretty much wrapped up, and series like Divergent, Maze Runner and Fifth Wave all struggling to fill its boots, you could be forgiven for thinking the era of Young Adult sci-fi book adaptations is nearing an end. Certainly, it seems that the achievements of Jennifer Lawrence's Hunger Games won't be matched by any other YA franchise any time soon, but it doesn't look like studios are going to give up the ghost. Paramount Pictures recently picked up the rights to Kayla Olson's YA series, The Sandcastle Empire, and it's just been revealed that their planned adaptation has the backing of one of Hollywood's biggest stars. 

According to reports from THR Leonardo DiCaprio is now attached to produce the adaptation, and when you learn of the book's key themes, you'll understand why.

The Sandcastle Empire is set in the year 2049 with society on Earth struggling with the ravages of climate change. Severe coastal flooding and overpopulation have allowed a radical group known as the Wolfpack to overthrow the Government. The story's protagonist, a young girl by the name of Eden, escapes from one of many Wolfpack slave camps before embarking on a journey to unearth clues about her missing Father. On this journey, Eden gradually learns that she alone could possess the secret to bringing down the brutal Wolfpack regime.

It's Sandcastle Empire's strong environmental themes that no doubt attracted DiCaprio to the project. The actor has long advocated on action against climate change, and last week he spoke with Pope Francis on the matter.