The companies are partnering to finance, produce and handle world sales on the sci-fi thriller.

Commercials director Nic Mathieu will direct the story from a screenplay by Eric Heisserer based on Ted Chiang’s short story about a linguist who races to decipher the language of an invading alien race.

21 Laps’ Shawn Levy and Dan Levine will produce alongside FilmNation’s Aaron Ryder and Karen Lunder. Lava Bear’s David Linde [pictured] and Tory Metzger will serve as executive producers with FilmNation’s Glen Basner and Eric Heisserer.

Levy, Levine and Dan Cohen developed Story Of Your Life with Heisserer. The project is being fast-tracked and casting has begun in time for a 2013 start of production.

Patrick Chu brought the project to FilmNation. The deal was brokered on behalf of Lava Bear by David Boyle and on behalf of FilmNation by Alison Cohen.

FilmNation and Lava Bear split world sales on David Michod’s The Rover.

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