Universal Pictures has picked up the rights to the novel Juliet by Danish author Anne Fortier, for James Mangold and Cathy Konrad to produce through their Tree Line Film banner, with Mangold also attached to direct.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the tome will be published in 2010, and was one of the talks of September's Frankfurt book fair, where Ballantine pre-emptively plunked down seven figures for U.S. rights to the English-language debut of Fortier. The book now has up to 21 deals, many of which have garnered serious advance money, including six-figure agreements in Germany, Spain and the U.K.

The story, which takes a cue from "Romeo and Juliet," toggles from medieval Siena to the present day in a story about a woman who discovers she may be descended from the people who inspired one of the most popular and tragic love stories of all time.

No writer is on board to adapt.

No production date has been set.