Barry Mendel, one of the producers on The Sixth Sense, is working with writer/director Chris Noonan on an adaptation of the novel Rule Of The Bone by Russell Banks, who also wrote the book on which The Sweet Hereafter was based.

Sydney-based Noonan's most recent credit as a director was on Babe, Australia's third biggest hit of all time after Titanic and Crocodile Dundee. He co-wrote Babe with Dr George Miller who directed the much less successful sequel Babe: Pig In The City.

Noonan recently executive produced Davida Allen's 50-minute film Feeling Sexy, which has made nearly A$300,000 at the Australian box office since opening on December 23. Noonan's wife Glenys Rowe produced Feeling Sexy, the second film distributed in Australia by Niche Pictures. It is being screened with the short film Bangers which was produced by and stars Cate Blanchett and directed by her husband Andrew Upton.