Merrick here...

Spike Lee has acquired the rights to TIME TRAVELER, a memoir by Ronald Mallett - a theoretical physicist & one of the first African Americans to receive a PhD in the field.

This in itself is interesting in an academic sort of way, but what makes this project super-compelling is what Mallett wanted to do with his knowledge of/experience in his field:

Mallett, who wrote the book with Bruce Henderson, recounts his rise from poverty to a distinguished academic and scientific career, and it lays out the technical specs for what Mallett envisions as a workable time machine. Developing a time machine became an obsession for Mallett from the age of 10 after his father's death. His goal was to travel back in time to save his father.

...says THIS ARTICLE in Variety.

This could be pretty damn cool. If you haven't seen the trailer for MIRACLE AT ST. ANNA (based on the book by James McBride), check it out HERE; it's intriguing. Looks like Spike's continuing to choose projects that are, at the very least, interesting and unusual...a tendency that's pretty unique for film makers these days.

You can find Mallett's book HERE.