As the writer and director of one of my favorite films of the year so far in the surprise horror hit Mama, Andrés Muschietti is now lining up his next directorial effort.  Universal optioned the debut novel Bird Box from author and The High Strung frontman Josh Malerman and is looking to Muschietti as a potential helmer for the postapocalyptic picture.  The studio is high on the debut director after the success of Mama, which brought in about five times its reported budget.  Muschietti's sister Barbara Muschietti co-wrote and produced Mama and will join Bird Box as a producer along with Scott Stuber and Chris Morgan.  The search is still on for a writer.  Hit the jump for more.

Heat Vision reports

that Andy Muschietti is in negotiations to direct the debut Malerman novel, which is due to hit shelves next year.  Per Publishers Weekly, Bird Box centers on "a blindfolded threesome—a woman and two children—make their way down a river in a seemingly post-apocalyptic setting."  The "chilling literary" work has been compared to Children of Men and The Others.  Here's hoping that this is the start of big things for the Muschietti siblings in the coming years.