'The Impossible' Director J.A. Bayona to Direct 'A Monster Calls'

For Spanish director Juan Antonio Bayona, it's been one rapid rise to notoriety. First gaining some attention for horror film The Orphanage, he jumped from that into the Oscar discussion with disaster film, The Impossible. That set the stage for his biggest gig yet, scoring the job of directing the World War Z sequel. But before that zombie flick takes shape, he's going to direct another adaptation first.

Bayona will direct A Monster Calls, based on the book by Patrick Ness. Adapted by Ness himself, the story follows an adolescent boy who begins having visions of a tree monster who tells him life truths in the form of three stories, helping him cope with the inevitable loss of his terminally ill single mom.

Combining horror and poignant drama, it sounds like it could be the next Pan's Labyrinth. Focus Features is moving on this one quickly with plans for a 2016 release.