Warner Bros. and Initial Entertainment Grouphave acquired screen rights to bestselling Brian Selznick children's novel "The Invention of Hugo Cabret" as a potential directing vehicle for Martin Scorsese reports Variety.

The project's screenwriter John Logan, Scorsese and producer Graham King all previously teamed on 2004's "The Aviator".

The story concerns a 12-year-old orphan who lives in the walls of a Paris train station in 1930 and a mystery involving the boy, his late father and a robot.

Under the terms of Scorsese's deal with Paramount, that studio has the right to own half of any project Scorsese directs or produces elsewhere.

Scorsese remains attached to helm the Jesuit Priests in 17th century Japan flick "Silence," an adaptation of Eric Jager's historical novel "Last Duel," and a potential "Departed" sequel.