Given the fact that plans to adapt author Chuck Palahniuk's book Survivor were canceled by the 9/11 attacks, it's rather ironic that the 13th anniversary of the nation's tragedy would be the day that another Palahniuk book Rant is announced as the next book making the transition to film. From none other than renaissance man James Franco himself.

According to Litreactor, speaking to Palahniuk, Franco has just optioned the rights to bring the 2008 book to the big screen. It's unclear, as these are the early days of the deal, whether Franco plans to direct, act, produce, write or some combination of the four for the movie, but more deals should be revealed in due time. No studio is involved at the moment either.

This is what Palahniuk told the website: "As of last night we've finalized a deal for James Franco to option my novel Rant. Details about the casting, shooting and a proposed release date will be forthcoming. Hurray. After the opportunity to work with Brad Pitt, Edward Norton and Sam Rockwell, I can't imagine a more exciting actor to work with than Franco."

Should this come to pass, this would mark the third Palahniuk book made into a movie. The first, of course, being David Fincher's Fight Club, the other being Clark Gregg's Choke. As mentioned above, some books like Survivor have been discussed, but nothing has come to pass as of yet.

Franco was recently seen with a clean-shaved head at the Venice Film Festival, where he was presenting his latest directorial effort The Sound and the Fury, accepting an award on his behalf and also shooting some scenes for his latest directing job, an adaptation of Zeroville. Which is what he has shaved his head for.

Just this year, Franco has released his movie Child of God into theaters, and has also been seen in Palo Alto, Veronica Mars, Third Person and, if you were on the festival circuit, The Sound and the Fury. If that wasn't enough, he is still set to be seen in The Interview and True Story later this year.

Franco is also planning to direct an adaptation of The Disaster Artist for producers Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg. That movie recently gained the The Fault in Our Stars, 500 Days of Summer and The Spectacular Now screenwriters.

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