Warner Bros., Legendary Pictures and Thunder Road have hired Russian director Sergei Bodrov to helm an adaptation of SPOOK'S APPRENTICE, reports VARIETY. Based on Joseph Delaney's six-book series, the story follows a 13-year-old boy who becomes a ghost's apprentice to learn wizardry.

Chuck Leavitt (BLOOD DIAMOND) will pen a new draft of the script, which was first written by Matt Greenberg. Thunder Road's Basil Iwanyk and Lionel Wigram are producing with Alysia Cotter exec producing. Warner Bros.' Lynn Harris and Elishia Holmes are shepherding.

The studios have been developing the project since 2005.