Paramount and J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot have settled on a couple of screenwriters to pen their adaptation of the graphic novel-picture book Boilerplate: History’s Mechanical Marvel. Deadline reports that JD Payne and Patrick McKay will handle scripting duties for the pic, which takes place in the late 19th and early 20th century and tells the story of the world’s first robot who “fought alongside Terry Roosevelt and Lawrence of Arabia, journeyed to the South Pole and was involved in the silent movie business before disappearing on the battlefields of World War I.” The idea for the story is fantastic, and hopefully Abrams and Co. can pull off an equally fascinating feature film.

Payne and McKay have yet to have one of their scripts produced, but they wrote the Goliath pic that Relativity is developing (and may or may not star Dwayne Johnson and Taylor Lautner), and are also penning a feature film adaptation of the Spike TV series Deadliest Warrior. Hit the jump to read a synopsis for the graphic novel.

Paramount Pictures announced last year their intent to adapt Spike TV’s Deadliest Warrior into a feature film.  Variety reports the studio has hired John D. Payne and Patrick McKay to pen the screenplay.  Plot details are under wraps, though the writers have a terrific spectrum of stories to choose from.  The Spike show pits historical warriors of varying backgrounds against each other, and analyzes the data to determine who would win in a direct fight — notable matchups include “Spartan vs. Ninja,” “Yakuza vs. Mafia,” and “KGB vs. CIA.”

The project is set up at Shawn Levy’s 21 Laps Entertainment, and the report suggests Levy might make this his directorial follow-up to Real Steel.  Payne and McKay recently scripted Goliath, which pitches the Biblical tale of David vs. Goliath as an action film.  Scott Derrickson (The Day the Earth Stood Still) is in talks with Relativity Media to direct Goliath.

To get a better sense of what’s in store, hit the jump for a Deadliest Warrior clip titled “Nazis Play With Fire.”

Apparently still high on adrenaline after taking on the devil in 2005′s The Exorcism of Emily Rose, director Scott Derrickson is now calling out the Philistine giant Goliath.  According to Heat Vision, Derrickson has agreed to direct the Biblical underdog tale of David vs. Goliath for Relativity Media and Temple Hill.

Written by under-the-radar scribes John D. Payne and Patrick McKay, Goliath is shaping up to be in the vein of a period action flick such as 300.  The film will tell the story of the purported future King of Israel David as he attempts to flee the warrior Goliath who has been sent to kill him.  There is no word on when Goliath aims to begin production.  As for Derrickson, he is also currently attached to direct the sci-fi/family film The Substitute for Columbia and Sam Raimi’s Ghost House label.