Yeah, so, we already know about the feature film, and the fact that Sony Pictures will be releasing it next summer, and I'm sure a lot of you have already started counting down the days leading up to its eventual release; but would you be just as interested in a novelized version of After Earth?

Not that it matters, because plans are already underway for the M. Night Shyamalan-directed, Will and Jaden Smith-starrer, in a deal with the Random House Publishing Group and Ebury Publishing, to "create a broad line of publishing products based on the film and the universe."

The proposed line of publishing products will include a digital shorts program that will encompass two novels (one will be a prequel), multiple short stories, and a comic book, which will also be a prequel to the upcoming movie that gives some backstory on the key characters (played by Will and Jaden Smith), as well as establish the universe they inhabit, and its first contact with a deadly alien species.

The digital shorts will tell other stories set in the world of After Earth, and will be available on all major e-reading platforms.

Well, this is how you really *franchise* a project – across all types of media; and let's not forget action figures, and more. Cha-ching!

“We have created over 1000 years of mythology and family heritage that contribute to the foundation of this new world. Through these platforms both our core fan-base, and those just being introduced to the franchise, are able to explore the After Earth universe in depth. Random House is uniquely positioned to help us bring this to life using both their publishing and digital platforms,” said Gaetano Mastropasqua, Head of Franchise Development at Overbrook. 

So does this mean we should probably expect a sequel or a prequel to the movie?