French studio UGC and Xilam Animation, the Oscar-nominated animation banner behind “I Lost My Body,” are joining forces on a hybrid live-action/CG adaptation of Bernard Werber’s cult thriller novel “Empire of the Ants.”

Published 35 years ago, “Empire of the Ants” has maintained a rare cross-generational momentum, selling seven million copies worldwide, including four million in France.

The pact brings together two pillars of the French audiovisual landscape: UGC,  which was founded in 1971, operates one of France’s leading cinema chains, and boasts a library including Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s “Amelie,” and the hit series “HPI;” and Xilam, one of the most prolific and successful animation studios (with flagship titles such as “Oggy and the Coakroaches”) which is listed at the Paris stock market.

Werber’s intricate world-building and philosophical undercurrents have long been considered unadaptable, but Xilam and UGC have set off crack the beloved novel to deliver a high-concept series aimed at global family audiences, spanning from young viewers to adults who grew up with the bestseller.

The series will weave two intertwined investigations unfolding simultaneously: a human-world murder mystery surrounding the death of famed myrmecologist Edmond Wells, and an ant-world political thriller in which a Queen and her militant guard conceal a secret with the potential to fracture their colony. Xilam and UGC will combine live action for the human narrative, and high-end visual effects for the ant civilization.

Vladimir Haulet, whose credits include “Mixte” and “Mash Up,” has been tapped to write the script, while VFX direction will by led by Nicolas Deveaux, a renowned expert in photo-realistic animation, alongside Quentin Reubrecht (“Arcane,” I Lost My Body”). It will be produced by Marc du Pontavice and Caterina Gonnelli for Xilam, and by Franck Calderon and Céline d’Asaro Biondo for UGC.

“I am thrilled to see ‘Empire of the Ants’ finally come to life on screen,” said Werber, who’s resisted screen adaptations of his work in the past. “This adaptation from such creative powerhouses as UGC and Xilam will bring a unique level of ambition to my universe. I look forward to audiences experiencing this work in a new form.”