Elijah Wood has been tapped to co-star in BBC America's eight-episode adaptation of the hit "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" novels by Douglas Adams ("Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy").

According to Deadline, Wood will play Gently's reluctant assistant, Todd, who aids him in his search for the truth and "bevy of wild adventures," as they cross paths with several dangerous characters.

Describing Todd's character, the site notes, "Todd does not consider himself a sidekick. He is just flat out better than Dirk at a lot of things. He always attempts to solve matters with the fewest steps possible; despite being a compassionate, sweet, smarter-than-average man with biting wit, Todd often finds himself at the intersection of morally gray crossroads. Thus, his bad habits of lying and stealing have dire consequences that he can’t put off forever, even though he tries."

Max Landis is writing the project for BBC America. The series is being co-produced by AMC Studios, Ideate Media, Circle of Confusion and IDW Entertainment -- the comic book publisher responsible for the latest adaptations, under writer Arvind Ethan David and artist Ilias Kyriazis.

The eight-episode "Dirk Gently" adaptation will air on BBC America in the US.