'3001: The Final Odyssey' to be adapted as a Syfy miniseries

NEW YORK, Nov. 3 (UPI) -- Famed filmmaker Ridley Scott is adapting Arthur C. Clarke's novel 3001: The Final Odyssey into a miniseries, Syfy announced Monday.

Stuart Beattie will write the adaptation and serve as executive producer on the Scott Free Productions and Warner Horizon Television project.

The final installment in Clarke's Odyssey series "resolves the tale that was begun in 2001: A Space Odyssey."

"Beginning with the discovery of Frank Poole's frozen body, floating in space, 3001: The Final Odyssey offers an extraordinary range of complex characters with conflicting agendas, stunning visuals, and dark thematic meditations on the final fate of all Humankind," a synopsis said.

The Odyssey franchise began with the initial publication of 2001 in 1968, 2010 in 1982, 2061 in 1987 and the final 3001 in 1997. The original 1968 film, directed by Stanley Kubrick, is an Academy Award-winning classic. It was followed by the 1984 sequel 2010, which was helmed by Peter Hyams.

The estates of both Kubrick and Clarke have offered their full support for 3001: The Final Odyssey, Syfy said.

"I have always been a fan of Clarke's extraordinary Odyssey series, and certainly Kubrick's adaptation of 2001. I am thrilled to be part of bringing that legacy to audiences and continuing the great cinematic tradition that this story and its creators deserve," Scott said in a statement.

"Arthur C. Clarke is the father of modern science fiction," added Syfy President Dave Howe. "We couldn't be more excited to be working with Scott Free and Warner Horizon Television to bring to the screen, for the very first time, the final chapter of this extraordinary masterpiece."

The announcement comes on the heels of Syfy's order of another small-screen version of a Clarke novel -- Childhood's End -- which begins production later this year.