Oct 7 (Reuters) - Disney ( DIS ) said on Tuesday it has

secured theatrical film and ancillary rights to British writer

Katherine Rundell's fantasy book series, "Impossible Creatures,"

with plans to adapt the first two books for the big screen.

The series is set in the fictional world of the Glimouria

Archipelago, a "richly imagined universe brimming with unique

characters", Disney ( DIS ) said, which it expects to "captivate

audiences for years to come."

"Impossible Creatures," which initially debuted as a planned

trilogy, was expanded to a five-book series earlier this year

through two major seven-figure publishing deals with Bloomsbury

and Knopf.

The second and the latest installment, "The Poisoned King,"

became a global bestseller and made Rundell the first U.K.

children's author since J.K. Rowling to simultaneously reach No.

1 on the children's book charts in both the U.K. and the U.S.,

Disney ( DIS ) said.

As part of the deal, Rundell will adapt the first two books

into feature film screenplays under the Disney Live Action

banner, and will produce the films with creative partner Charles

Collier.

The acquisition represents a strategic pivot toward fresh,

original fantasy intellectual property following Disney's ( DIS ) mixed

results from live-action remakes of classic animated films.

While "Lilo & Stitch" proved successful this year, "Snow White"

disappointed at the box office.

"Our ambition is to build 'Glimouria' and 'Impossible

Creatures' into a spectacular series of films, so that we can

entertain and inspire family audiences across the world,"

Rundell said in a statement.

Disney ( DIS ) also secured the rights to be the first to review and

potentially make movies or shows based on Rundell's current and

upcoming literary properties, from her production company,

Impossible Films.

"When I read 'Impossible Creatures', I knew it belonged here

at Disney ( DIS )," Disney ( DIS ) CEO Bob Iger said.