Michael Crichton's last two legacies

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Hollywood has two new Michael Crichton projects to bid on.

HarperCollins is readying for publication two new novels penned by the late author, who was behind the hits "Jurassic Park" and "ER."

The action adventure "Pirate Latitudes," set in Jamaica in 1665, hits store shelves Nov. 24, while a yet-to-be-titled technological thriller will bow late next year.

"Pirate Latitudes" was written before Crichton's death last year and discovered in his files by an assistant, while the untitled book will be completed based on the writer's notes. An author has not yet been hired to finish that work.

"Latitudes," which HarperCollins plans to back with a first printing of 1 million copies, revolves around plans by a notorious pirate named Hunter and the governor of Jamaica and to raid a Spanish galleon filled with treasure.

Creative Artists Agency is handling the film and TV rights of the books. The tenpercentery, which had repped the author, continues to broker deals for the Crichton estate.

Crichton's most recent novel was "Next," about genetics and the law. It was published in 2006. HarperCollins published the author's last three books.

The biz has long been interested in adapting Crichton's novels, with "The Andromeda Strain," "Congo," "Disclosure," "Rising Sun," "Sphere" and "Timeline," in addition to "Jurassic Park" and "The Lost World" all turned into pics, while "Airframe" and "Prey" have been optioned.

Crichton died of cancer last year at 66.