HBO is delving into the political arena yet again, and in a more timely fashion. According to Variety, the network has optioned the rights to the upcoming book, Game Change: Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime.

The book will be published in early 2010, written by political pundits Mark Halperin, editor-at-large for Time Magazine, and John Heilemann, national political correspondant for New York Magazine. Charles Leavitt (Blood Diamond) has been hired to adapt the forthcoming book.

It was said that the book focuses more on the actual characters of these candidates, as they had both been acquainted with all of the politicians through the race and beyond, with Heilemann even knowing Obama from their days together at Harvard.

"It's funny to call Obama and Hillary characters, but that's how I have to look at them," Leavitt said. "To me, the primary was one of the greatest title fights of the century, and John and Mark have a treasure chest of anecdotes and inside stories. I think it will present itself almost like a stage play, like Frost/Nixon or The Queen."