This past March we reported that New Line Cinema had won a bidding war for David Gilcreast’s comedy spec script CRYPTOZOOLOGISTS, which would follows scientists who track mythical creatures such as Bigfoot and the Loch Ness Monster and have to deal with the sudden appearance of the creatures in San Francisco. It appears that this won’t be the only “ologist” film being made next year as Cryptocrew Zoo is next. Read on for the skinny.
Alcon Entertainment has picked up the rights to “Cryptozoo Crew,” a graphic novel by Jerry Carr and Allan Gross, tapping screenwriter Joe Gazzam to adapt it into a big screen feature.

Alcon’s Andrew Kosove and Broderick Johnson will produce with Lloyd Phillips and Circle of Confusion’s production arm.

“Cryptozoo” follows a member of a secret organization charged with protecting the identity of strange and rare animals classified as Cryptids who teams with a beautiful doctor in a quest to protect a one-of-a-kind species from falling into the wrong hands.

We’re assuming from the comic cover below these “animals” will also be infamous beasts like the Abominable Snowman – errr “Improbable” Snowman.

Alcon development executive Jesse Israel brought the project to the Warner Bros.-based shingle and will oversee it with senior vp development Steven Wegner.

Gazzam, repped by ICM and Circle of Confusion, wrote the initial draft for “Scared Straight,” which Nu Image/Millennium Films is making with Nicolas Cage and John Carpenter. He also worked on the “21 Jump Street” feature.