Martin Scorsese is in negotiations to direct a big screen adaptation of THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET for GK Films, reports VARIETY. THE DEPARTED producer Graham King will produce the adaptation of Brian Selznick's bestselling kid's tome.

The story follows 12-year-old orphan Hugo who hides out in a train station and gets wrapped up in a mystery with a bookish girl and a bitter old man that own the toy booth at the station. John Logan (THE AVIATOR) is penning the script.

GK Films will fund the production and hopes to start filming in June in London. Scorsese will produce along with Tim Headington and Christi Dembrowski of Johnny Depp's production house Infinitum Nihil.

ICE AGE's Chris Wedge was circling the project previously.