Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik is making a new Sinbad movie

He made 2010's Repo Men, but this will be his biggest cinema project to date. That said, directing the epic Battle of the Bastards – the high point of Game of Thrones series six – must be as demanding as working on a full feature film, so we're sure Sinbad's in safe hands.

The Sinbad character – an adventurous sailor from Baghdad who voyages to mysterious islands and lands – first appeared in the Arabian Nights tales, and was given the Hollywood treatment several times through the 20th century. Most famous was The 7th Voyage of Sinbad in 1958, which featured monsters brought to life by special effects legend Ray Harryhausen.

The script is being written by Mind Games creator Kyle Killen and Studio 8, which acquired the rights to the film, said in a statement: "Sinbad was a rare comprehensive and engaging pitch which lends itself to an international audience and big visual set pieces but also distinct and unique actor roles for a diverse cast of characters. [It's] part of Studio 8’s ongoing commitment to working closely with filmmakers on the re-imagination of genres."

This is one genre that has been re-imagined an awful lot already, but with Sapochnik in charge, Sinbad's biggest adventure may be ahead of him.