Whedon’s A Goner

Variety reported that Universal Pictures has paid seven figures for Goners, a fantasy thriller spec script Joss Whedon wrote and will direct.

Film will be produced by Mary Parent and Scott Stuber. The studio premiered Whedon’s directorial debut, Serenity, on Thursday night at Universal City Walk. Pic opens Sept. 30.

Whedon doesn’t give much detail in describing the project, but the title conveys that it will tread on supernatural turf comparable to his series creations Buffy the Vampire Slayer and spinoff Angel.

It’s the story of a young woman’s journey that involves a great deal of horror and some heroics,” he said. “It’s certainly darker than ‘Serenity,’ and there are a lot of left turns along the way. It is something I had in mind for a while, and it just poured out of me when I finished my film.”