'Game Of Thrones' Author George R.R. Martin's Next TV Project Could Rival Marvel, DC Universes

(Photo : Getty Images/Frederick M. Brown) "Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin revealed that Universal Cable Productions has acquired the rights to adapt the long-running "Wild Cards" series of anthologies and mosaic novels for TV.

"Game of Thrones" author George R.R. Martin has a new TV project that could rival the existing Marvel and DC TV universes.

On Saturday, Martin announced on his LiveJournal blog that the long-running "Wild Cards" series of anthologies and mosaic novels will soon be adapted for TV. According to Martin, Universal Cable Productions (UCP) has acquired the rights, and development will begin immediately on the first of several interlocking series.

For those who are unfamiliar with "Wild Cards," Martin explained the basic premise of the franchise's universe:

"The shared world of the 'Wild Cards' diverged from our own on September 15, 1946 when an alien virus was released in the skies over Manhattan, and spread across an unsuspecting Earth. Of those infected, 90% died horribly, drawing the black queen, 9% were twisted and deformed into jokers, while a lucky 1% became blessed with extraordinary and unpredictable powers and became aces. The world was never the same."

In the latter part of his post, the 67-year-old novelist compared "Wild Cards'" shared universe to that of Marvel and DC.

RELATED: 'Game Of Thrones' Publisher Defends Delay Of George R.R. Martin's 'The Winds Of Winter'

"Wild Cards" is a series of books, graphic novels, games... but most of all it is a universe, as large and diverse and exciting as the comic book universes of Marvel and DC (though somewhat grittier, and considerably more realistic and more consistent), with an enormous cast of characters both major and minor," he wrote. "There are thousands of stories to be told in the world of the 'Wild Cards,' and Gregory [Noveck ] and Melinda [M. Snodgrass ] and UPC hope to be able to tell many of them."

Noveck ("Red") and Snodgrass ("Star Trek: The Next Generation") are attached to exec produce the project.

Besides Martin and Snodgrass, dozens of other writers, have contributed to the "Wild Cards" universe over the past three decades. Click here to see the full list.

Are you looking forward to "Wild Cards" TV adaptation? Let us know in the poll and comments below!