EXCLUSIVE: Saudi director and producer Hamzah Jamjoom and Alberto Lopez have optioned comic book series Saucer Country for a premium television drama adaptation under the banner of Plot Point 1 Productions.
The comic book series revolves around Arcadia Alvarado, the Hispanic Governor of New Mexico, whose campaign for the U.S. presidency is derailed. when she claims she was abducted by aliens.
What begins as a political scandal quickly escalates into a high-stakes narrative of power and secrecy at the highest levels of government, blending smart science fiction with tense political drama in the tradition of The X-Files and The West Wing.
The series is written by UK writer Paul Cornell (Doctor Who, I Walk With Monsters) and illustrated by artist Ryan Kelly (A Quiet Place, The New York Five) and was originally published under the DC/Vertigo comics label.
The adaptation is envisioned as a focused first season designed to introduce the world and mythology of the series while establishing a long-running narrative engine.
Alongside scenes set within the corridors of power in Washington, it will draw on iconic UFO folklore locations across New Mexico and Nevada, including aerospace and defense facilities long associated with the region’s history.
First launched in 2012, Saucer Country earned a Hugo Award nomination with its debut volume the following year. The full saga was completed and released as a definitive edition in 2024 through Syzygy Publishing, the independent imprint founded by veteran editor, writer and publisher Chris Ryall.
Development is now underway, led by long-time collaborators Lopez and Jamjoom, who serve as producers.
The original creators are closely involved with Cornell executive producing and writing the pilot episode, to actively shape the series for television.
Ryall, an Executive Producer on Netflix’s acclaimed adaptation of Locke & Key, is attached as an Executive Producer on the project, alongside artist Kelly.
“Saucer Country is the most visually arresting graphic novel I’ve read in years. The composition is unnervingly precise and the closest thing I’ve seen to a shootable storyboard,” said Jamjoom.
“It offers everything I have been waiting for: striking UFO imagery, cinematic portrayals of alien abductions and profound metaphors for the politics surrounding the phenomenon. There is an opportunity here to create something timely, grounded and socially relevant. We look forward to bringing the best talent to this project and sharing it with audiences worldwide.”
Jamjoom created development and production company Plot Point 1 Productions with a focus on high-concept, character-driven film and television projects for international audiences.
He and Lopez previously collaborated on thriller Rupture, about a couple who are tormented by a twisted concierge while visiting London for fertility treatment. Lopez has since taken writing credits on Saudi 2025 action comedy Essaf (Ambulance).
“Saucer Country always stood out as a comic that treated UFO mythology with real intelligence and political weight. At a time when global politics and questions around disclosure are once again part of the public conversation, the story feels more relevant than ever. It’s a rare piece of grounded science fiction that feels uniquely suited to television at this moment,” said Lopez.
English (US) ·