Jeff Smith’s “Bone” independent comic book series are making their way to the big screen via Warner Bros., who has picked up the rights.

The Hollywood Reported informs that Warner Bros. has picked up screen rights to Jeff Smith’s self-published comic book series “Bone.” The studio apparently has not decided whether to pursue a live action or animated adaptation.

We can be certain though that there are no plans for the big screen adaptation to include pop songs, as Nickelodeon Films reportedly once wished for its kids-oriented animated version, per Reporter.

The Reporter describes the story of “Bones” as focusing on three cousins from the Bone family who are “small, white and bald human-like creatures with big noses.” After being run out from their hometown, the three find adventure in a mysterious valley where their lives are threatened by other creatures.

They find protection with a girl named Thorn and her grandmother and soon discover that the valley is threatened by an evil force called the Lord of the Locusts.

Subsequent installments of the comic book see the Bone cousins slay dragons, clash with rat creatures and hunt for treasure, trade paper Variety reports.

Some 55 issues of “Bone” were serialized between 1991 and 2004. Smith launched a company called Cartoon Books in 1991, in order to publish his cartoons, his official site informs.

The first few comics “relied heavily on humor and adventure to keep readers coming back for more,” his site explains. The trick appears to have worked, as Scholastic, the U. S. publisher of the Harry Potter books, has been publishing the collected stories in graphic novel format since 2005, through new imprint Graphix.

Dan Lin and Jon Silk are producing the project through Lin Pictures. Smith will serve as exec producer, Variety adds.

For more details about Jeff Smith and “Bone,” go to www.boneville.com\

Image credit: www.boneville.com\