With the ashes of Fantastic Four still smoldering, its understandable that 20th Century Fox might be on the lookout for a new potential cash cow. There is a lot of buzz around Fall of Gods, an upcoming crowd-funded illustrated novel based on North mythology, which has been compared to hits like Game of Thrones and the upcoming Warcraft, and it seems that Fox has taken an interest as well.

Fall of Gods is the work of Rasmus Bergreen at MOOD Visuals, alongside artist Jan Ditlev Christensen and writer Michael Vogt (Hitman). The illustrated novel pairs breathtaking artwork with a fresh take on ancient Norse mythology, and it might just become a major movie franchise.

According to info obtained exclusively by The Tracking Board, Fox is very close to landing the preemptive film rights to Fall of Gods. The site claims that Steve Tzirlin (Star Wars: The Clone Wars) and Brooklyn Weaver (Extant) are attached as producers.

It's important to note that Fall of Gods is currently available through pre-order only. That apparently hasn't stopped talent agency CAA from working hard for a lucrative rights package, or Fox from snooping around the exciting prospect. The overview provided by MOOD serves to explain the mission at the heart of the epic story.

The gods have long ago vanished. In their place, two rivaling races now inhabit Midgard; humans and jotnar. Fifteen years ago, a coalition of chieftains drove the jotnar race from Midgard. Now, from each side of the border, humans and jotnar eye each other with hatred and suspicion.

When his wife, the estranged daughter of one of Midgard’s most powerful chieftains, is mysteriously kidnapped, a retired warrior takes up the hatchet and sets out to rescue her. But he risks unleashing the wild demon buried deep within him and losing his soul in the process.

His journey will bring him into conflict with terrible forces as a cynical plot is revealed and the dark mythological past of the North begins to awaken once more.

Rasmus Bergreen appears hopeful that the novel and any resulting film franchise will work to repair the damage caused by the creative license Hollywood often takes with Norse mythology. Yes, he means Thor. “[I] have mostly seen American versions of Norse mythology," said Bergreen. "As a Scandinavian I really think it’s time to get [our] point of view across.”

If Fox can play its cards right, a Fall of Gods franchise could do more than vindicate Scandinavians everywhere - it could signal a new era for the fantasy film genre, filling the void left by the original Lord of the Rings trilogy. At least, if Warcraft doesn't manage do so first. Of course, the only way a story like this is going to get off the ground is with a respectable budget. A single glimpse at the visuals provided in the picture book is enough to firmly justify the need for quality special effects.

As big as Fall of Gods has the potential to be, Fox doesn't have the greatest track record with hyped properties. Deadpool looks good but is unproven, and the X-Men franchise is just now wobbling back onto the right track. To make this film right, the studio will have to show a tremendous amount of faith - and fork over quite a bit of cash.

We'll keep you updated on Fall of Gods as development continues.

Source: The Tracking Board.