BBC Films has acquired the film rights to Andy McNab and Robert Rigby's thriller Boy Soldier and its sequel Payback.

MacNab and Rigby are currently writing a screenplayadaptation of Boy Soldier, a thrillerthat is the first in a series of four books.

The film is about Danny, an orphan who triesto join the army and learns that his grandfather is a disgraced former armyofficer now on the run. Danny runs into trouble when he tries to find hisgrandfather, who is being framed by a senior government figure.

Former Army officer McNabhas also written books including BravoTwo Zero (a 1998 BBC project starring Sean Bean), Avenger, Aggressor, Deep Black, Immediate Action, and Last Light. His co-writer Rigby is ajournalist and playwright who now writes television dramas including BBC's Byker Grove.

"We are delighted to be renewing ourrelationship with Andy after Bravo TwoZero," said David Thompson, head of BBC Films. "Boy Soldier is both a fantastic thrillerand a moving story of the relationship between a boy and his grandfather. Theproject also represents BBC Films' commitment to make more ambitious films forwider audiences."