Having shown her mettle with a teen vampire love story, Hardwicke shouldn't find it too hard to breath life into a tale of genetically altered 'youth' called the Flock - who are part human, part bird. And after shape-shifting subplots in Stephanie Meyer's series, she should also have no issues with their enemies - the Erasers - a pack of part human, part wolf teens.

But, worry not, the script won't be ludicrous - Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer's Don Payne is already scribbling, and he specialises in metal men on floating surfboards and people who can voluntarily combust - so Maximum Ride is in safe hands.

And since The Watchmen brought a bird-based (and obsessed) hero back to our screens in the shape of Nite Owl, it seems that now is the time to get excited about plumage, skylarking and all things avian. But whether the Flock's maximum ride will be more along the lines of educational pigeon-tracking drama Geordie Racer or whether it will take flight like a regal eagle, is still to be seen.