What the film adaptation of the story "Black Code" starring Jake Gyllenhaal will be about

Who will direct the film? What is the plot of the upcoming movie? Everything that is currently known about the adaptation...

If you thought short stories were just for high schoolers cramming in the last 15 minutes before class — time to think again. Hollywood's gotten hooked on Harrison Query's novella "Code Black" and they're already gearing up to film it.

Amazon MGM is planning to shoot the thriller, having already dropped a seven-figure sum for the adaptation rights.

According to Deadline, this is one of the biggest deals in short fiction history. And it's all for a movie where Jake Gyllenhaal won't just star — he's producing and fronting the whole project.

Actor Jake Gyllenhaal in a gray blazer smiles against a blue background — Jake Gyllenhaal

The setup's simple but has a hook: the country's top heart surgeon gets urgently called to Washington, supposedly to save an important patient. But once he's at the operating table, everything gets way more complicated — he's been lured into a trap. Now his quick thinking and precise movements don't just determine someone's life, but the fate of the entire nation.

Query himself is adapting the screenplay, and Gyllenhaal's teaming up with some heavy-hitting producers: Matt Reeves (director of the new "The Batman"), Lynn Harris, and Scott Glassgold.

Given that Jake's having his second creative peak right now — after his triumph on Apple TV+ with "Presumed Innocent" (2024) and the success of the "Road House" remake (2024) on Prime Video — "Code Black" could be the next big hit.

We're waiting for the trailer. And the defibrillators. Earlier, we at zoomboola.com told you about Ryan Reynolds creating an animated movie about a dung beetle with the weirdest title in cinema history.