It looks as though the company who owns the rights to the work of Philip K. Dick has just signed them away to Hollywood in an exclusive deal.

To follow such recent films as Minority Report, A Scanner Darkly, Paycheck and Next. Electric Sheep Productions have signed a three year, first look deal for all Philip K. Dick's works.

Halcyon are currently hard at work producing the first in the new trilogy of Terminator films, so it might be interesting to see how they do on that film as an indication of how they can perform with some of Dick's work. This deal gives them the rights to all of Dick's previously unadapted work, to adapt for cinema, television or DVD audience.

The news from Variety isn't really that clear as it could well mean that Halcyon would have to pay further money should they decide to develop a film from the pool of stories. Still first look is first look.

It could mean a raft of Dick stories racing towards development in the next three years, and it could mean more films of the calibre of Paycheck and Next, and less of the calibre of Blade Runner and even Minority Report.