Warren Kornblum, former chief marketing officer at Toys'R' Us, has acquired film rights to Clark Howard's novelette TheDakar Run for his Shadow EntertainmentGroup.

Miranda Kwok, who won Slamdance's Sparky Award for bestscreenplay for Song Of Silence in 2004,wrote the screenplay and the feature is currently in development.

Kornblum is serving as producer and cast announcements areexpected to follow shortly.

Howard is an Edgar Allan Poe award-winning mystery writerwhose The Dakar Run follows the reunionof a former champion rally driver and the daughter he abandoned.

At the insistence of the girl's fiance, whose late fatherwas a renowned car designer, she seeks her father's advice as she and herpartner prepare to compete in the notorious Paris to Dakar Rally.

'The Dakar Runentranced me from the moment I read Clark's book and I'm pleased that Mirandaimmediately grasped its humanity and scope surrounding one of the most excitingevents in the sporting calendar,' Kornblum said.

'It's a strong character study taking place in anamazing action environment. All things being equal, Dakar will be the firstproject from our extensive development slate to go into production.'