Writer-Director Tom McCanlies has signed to debut behind cameras with the long-awaited adaptation of Piers Anthony's "A Spell For Chameleon".

The novel, first published in 1977, was turned into a 30-books series collectively known as the "Xanth Development", and firmly established author Anthony in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy realm. "Chameleon" starts off the series with a character named Bink, a young man who faces exile form his magical world of Xanth, unless he can develop some sort of power like everyone else on the planet.

Warner Bros announced the project back in July, with Wolfgang Petersen and author David Benioff to produce. Both are still attached to the live-action adaptation. No star has yet been linked.

McMcanlies' previous credits include a BAFTA Award-winning screenplay for "The Iron Giant".