Christopher Webster [Celluloid 07.31.09] movie news scifi



There's no denying it, science fiction is coming back in a big way. Not only is there more science fiction finding its way into independent and foreign cinema than ever before (read as: MOON, Sleep Dealer, Cargo, China's first ever, Chengdu), but Hollywood seems to have more than a few franchisable blockbusters on the horizon. With all this action happening on the scifi front we couldn't help but bring you this special report on all the upcoming science fiction projects that have us pumped right now.

#1: Eagle Eye director to helm "Dead Space"


Whether or not D.J. Caruso has the chops to handle a big screen adaptation of Electronic Arts' hit video game, Dead Space, is up for debate, but the fact that it's even on the table right now makes us excited. Gears of War and Dead Space movies? My tiny brain can't handle it! [via: BD]

#2: More violent scifi coming form Neil Blomkamp?

District 9 got rave reviews after its clandestine screening at comic con this year so the fact that it's director Neil Blomkamp plans on returning to the genre is def exciting. Here's what he said about his secret project in an interview with our pals at /Film:

I’ve got one science fiction idea that I’m absolutely in love with, which I’m pretty sure is going to be my next film. 99% sure…It’s totally original, it’s my own story…It’s set on another planet, but it’s cool. It’s violent, very violent, and very unique hopefully. We’ll see.

#3: Roland Emmerich's "Foundation" finds a writer

2012 director Roland Emmerich has recruited Saving Private Ryan's writer Robert Rodat to pound out a script for his adaptation of Isac Asimov's Foundation. Why is this exciting? Well these are heady books, loaded with all kinds of Golden Aged scifi wisdom so it may give Emmerich a chance to flex his blockbuster muscles on a smart movie for once. [via: io9]

#4: Alien-invasion actioner "Battle: Los Angeles" gest a cast

Killing Room director Jonathan Liebesman has an edgy, low budget alien invasion combat flick on the way and we are psyched! Actor Aaron Eckhart was cast in Battle: Los Angeles ages ago, but now the cast has grown to include Michelle Rodriguez, Michael Pena and Bridget Moynahan. Expect to read a lot more about Battle: Los Angeles on Quiet Earth as the film progresses.

#5: Steven Spielberg bringing us a new PA alien invasion series

While I liked Spielberg's Taken to a point, I thought it lost the plot by mid-series. However, I loved Band of Brothers so if his yet to be titled series has that kind of combat we say it's worth getting excited about.

"The project, written by Robert Rodat from an idea he conceived with Spielberg, is set shortly after aliens have wiped out most of the human population and centers on a ragtag group of soldiers and civilians led by widower Tom Mason (Noah Wyle) who struggle against the occupying alien force."

#6: Paco Ahlgren's scifi novel "Discipline" gets adapted

According to MTV, "Discipline" follows a man locked in a conflict with an unseen enemy. The outcome of their battle will "determine the past, present and future of human existence." No word on cast yet but it sounds like another smart indie effort to us.

#7: Tron Legacy" director is developing "Oblivion"

Joseph Kosinski, director of the upcoming Tron sequel is developing a new scifi film, based on his own concept, as a feature for Radical Pictures.

The story centers on a battle-damaged soldier who, assigned to a desolate planet after a court-martial, patrols the bleak landscape in an effort to destroy the last vestiges of a primitive alien race. When a mysterious traveler arrives unexpectedly, their lives become inextricably linked as they are forced to question everything they know about this world and themselves. [via: THR]

#8: Timecrimes director tackles scifi comedy next

Spanish director Nacho Vigalondo will make a scifi comedy called Gangland, based on an original idea. It is being co-written by Pat Healy.

The story follows "a team of video game developers who “get in over their heads after they promise to deliver the most realistic game of all time, titled ‘Gangland,’ and soon find themselves having to survive by their own wits in a real-life criminal underworld.”" [via: THR]

#9: Scotts producing Aliens prequel!

Apparently the Scotts will be producing the rumored Aliens movie which will actually be a prequel. While there's no more info, we do no Carl Rinsch, who hasn't directed any features, will be doing it. [via Collider]

#10: Jerry Bruckheimer picks up rights to IDW comic World War Robot

Producer Bruckheimer has picked up the rights to IDW (who also published 30 Days of Night) comic World War Robot. In World War Robot, a dwindling band of humans and robots face off in a battle that will likely end humanity as we know it... on Earth, on the Moon, and on Mars, too. Sounds post apocalyptic! No word on a director or whose penning the adaptation. [via Variety]

#11: Spierig brothers doing pirates in space next!

Yeah, we're all waiting on Daybreakers but it seems they're on to their next backed by WB. It's an adaptation of the 1935 pirate classic Captain Blood which starred Errol Flynn, and they beat out a bunch of other people in their bid for it by setting the thing in space! Space Opera anyone?! [via Variety]

#12: James McTeigue to do adaptation of cyberpunk noir Altered Carbon?

There's been talking of McTeigue doing this Richard K. Morgan's book before, but he recently updated /Film that there's a script in place and he hopes to do it with Joel Silver. In Morgan's novel, set in the 25th Century, human memories are backed up and stored in cortical stacks, data storage systems implanted in the human body. If the body dies, the stack can be "resleeved" in another body, enabling human beings to become essentially immortal. But only the very rich can afford to be resleeved frequently, and when one such very wealthy, very long-lived individual, Laurens Bancroft, dies, his stack is shockingly destroyed as well. Thanks to a remote backup, Bancroft is able to be resleeved again, but finds he's missing the memories from the 48 hours prior to his death. While the police rule Bancroft's death a suicide, Bancroft himself believes he was murdered. To solve the mystery of his death, Bancroft has soldier Takeshi Kovacs resleeved into a cop's body. Kovacs is thrust into a world of violence and intrigue, dealing with the dark realm of world politics, enemies from his past, and the fact that the body he now inhabits belongs to someone else. I hope this gets made!

#13: Barbarella remake going forward?

Rodriguez got kicked off and now Robert Luketic (21, The Ugly Truth) is attached to direct with Joe Gazzam, who wrote John Carpenter's The Riot, penning the script. The original starred Jane "commie" Fonda in a campy scifi action adventure which was actually quite good but reportedly the new one won't be campy, it'll just keep the sexuality and adventure. [via THR]

#14: Terminator 5 to be a prequel and not apocalyptic?

Apparently McG will still be doing T5 (boo!) and word is it might be a prequel and not apocalyptic at all.. that sucks, get someone new! [via Radio Free]

#15: Family fantasy Simple Machines sounds promising

Phoenix pictures has picked up a script penned by Troy Nixey who did the excellent Latchkey's Lament, a visionary fantasy about 2 keys who get kidnapped. Simple Machines centers on a reclusive young inventor who must save his beloved creation from an evil industrialist before he uses it to corrupt the world. [via Variety]

#16: Robin Hood goes scifi, still wearing tights?

Risky Biz reports that commercial director Nicolai Fuglsig is signed on to direct an adaptation of Robin Hood set in a dystopian, futuristic London. Script will be penned by Jason Hall with producers from “The Dark Knight” and “300” and backed by Warner Bros.

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RooksBailey (12 years ago) Reply

Glad to see that a sci-fi renaissance is in the works. However, few of these potential movies have me really excited. I want to see a sci-fi movie that has more in common with EvE Online or X3 than what is currently being offered. That is, most "sci-fi" movies are strangely planet-bound. I want a story about space ships and the men that pilot them for a living! :-)

Let's hope the forthcoming Cowboy BeBop movie is as good as the anime (which came the closest to what I am looking for so far).

Skinstripper (12 years ago) Reply

They try to go cheap, and they try to go typical, like Oblivion's storyline. I think they don't want to do complex storylines that have something to in common with the sci-fi universe or setting. They put tired old themes, such as "coming to a realization about the local population of a planet being more like us than we realize" crap.

Let's hope that Foundation isnt' screwed up, as it's a heavy read, and I fear they will dumb it down. I'm surprised Will Smith isn't starring in it.

Sharon E. Dreyer (12 years ago) Reply

Thanks for all of the great updats! Wow, so many books, so many movies, and so little time! I agree with Skinstripper, I would not like to see Foundation poorly done.

Check out my first and recently released novel, Long Journey to Rneadal. This exciting tale is a romantic action adventure in space and is more about the characters than the technology.

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