"Chronicle" screenwriter Max Landis will adapt Douglas Adams' humorous "Dirk Gently" detective novels for BBC America.

The cable channel this morning announced an eight-episode direct-to-series order for the project, a co-production of AMC Studios, Ideate Media and IDW Entertainment. Circle of Confusion is also on board to produce.

The project's development was announced in August 2014. IDW released a comic-book adaptation by Chris Ryall and Tony Atkins last year.

Debuting in 1987, "Dirk Gently's Holistic Detective Agency" is a comedic thriller that follows the bizarre adventures of eccentric detective Dirk Gently and his reluctant assistant Todd as they work their way through one big, seemingly insane, mystery. A sequel, "The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul," was published the following year.

The "Dirk Gently" novels were previously adapted for BBC Radio and BBC Four.

Landis, who's writing "Superman: American Alien" for DC Comics, will executive produce alongside Ted Adams and David Ozer for IDW, David Alpert and Rick Jacobs for Circle of Confusion, and Zainir Aminullah and Arvind Ethan David for Ideate Media.