Los Angeles-based Platinum Studios is teaming up with Aeon Flux and The Terminator producer Gale Anne Hurd on Magdalena, the first religious-themed comic bookadaptation.

Kevin Taft has been hired to write the screenplay about a young woman wholearns she is part of a lineage of female warriors descended from MaryMagdalene.

Set in the present day, the action story follows the character as she embracesher destiny to save the world from supernatural evil.

"Magdalena is exactlythe kind of project we love: a strong female lead character, a story with richmythology, and compelling characters," Hurd said.

"The religious overtone adds a new dimension to the adventure story, whileKevin Taft's terrific storyline still deals with realistic, contemporary issuesin an entertaining and relatable way."

The property already promises inbuilt international appeal - it has beentranslated into 26 languages in more than 55 countries - and hails fromPlatinum's exclusive deal to develop comic book banner Top Cow's library.

Valhalla's executive vice president Gary Ventimiglia and vice president ofproduction and development Steve Emery, and Platinum Studios' director ofdevelopment Aaron Severson and director of production Jay Burns will oversee developmentfor the studios.

Comic creator and Top Cow Productions chief executive officer Marc Silvestriwill serve as executive producer."

"Platinum Studios is very excited to be working with Gale and Valhalla on thisproject, because Gale has always excelled at presenting strong female characters,from Aeon Flux backto Terminator, whichwas not only a seminal action movie, but also a compelling female-empowermentstory," Platinum Studios chairman Scott Mitchell Rosenberg said.

Platinum Studios has set up a number of Top Cow projects at the major studios,including Cowboys And Aliens at Sony, Unique at Disney, Wanted at Universal, and Inferno at Warner Brothers. Platinum also has a multi-picture dealwith financier Gold Circle Films.

Rosenberg and Hurd, who founded Valhalla Pictures, are currently workingtogether on the political sci-fi story Atlantis Rising, based on a graphic novel co-created byRosenberg.

Taft is represented by Brian Dreyfuss of Kohner Agency and managed by ToddSharp of Bedlam Media.