Battlestar Galactica film finally a go as Universal Pictures announces Lisa Joy as writer

The director of The Hunger Games sequels is in talks to oversee the planned big-screen adaptation

When new producers jumped on board the long-stalled film version of acclaimed TV series Battlestar Galactica, fans were right to remain hesitant in expressing their excitement; the planned adaptation has been in the works for quite some time now.

Well, now's the time to unleash your joy - EW has confirmed that the film has finally acquired distribution at Universal Pictures with a scriptwriter attached. Lisa Joy will be writing the film that is expected to kick-start a whole new franchise.

Joy's next project will be the long-awaited HBO remake of fantasy film Westworld.

If you're yet to watch the series - the history of which dates back to the Seventies - now's the time to jump on board. Created by Glen A. Larson, the military sci-fi show originally aired from 1978 to 1979 before a revival arrived in 2004 which ran for five acclaimed seasons. It went on to garner a dedicated fan base to rival that of contemporary cult shows Lost and 24.

The story centres on a group of human civilians who, after being near wiped out by A.I. machines known as Cylons, search for a mythic human colony - Earth. It starred Edward James Olmos (Marvel's Agents of SHIELD) and Katee Sackhoff (who currently stars in the little-seen US series Longmire).

No director is currently attached although it is believed that Francis Lawrence - director of the final three Hunger Games films - is in current talks.

While the final product is no doubt an extremely long way off, it's exciting to know that - finally - a Battlestar Galactica film is no longer floating aimlessly through the large expanses of space.