It looks like Denis Villeneuve can not keep his eyes off the stars. The director of 2021s Dune was recorded to direct another science fiction adaptation. This time the topic will be Rendezvous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke.
The project was picked up by Alcon Entertainment, who had previously worked with Villeneuve Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049. The rights to the novel were previously under the control of Morgan Freeman and his partner Lori McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment. The film has been a passion project of Freeman since the early 2000s, but the project was stuck in development hell for many years.
It seems like the film is finally going to get its wings with this new partnership. Alcon will fund the project. While co-founders and co-CEOs’ Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove will produce. Both Freeman and McCreary are still in the production team. The two had this to say in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the project.
“Denis’ vision for Rama is completely in line with Arthur’s wishes, so we are confident that working with our production partners Andrew and Broderick at Alcon is the right next step in this more than 20 year old odyssey!”
Rendezvous with Rama follows a group of human astronomers in the 2130s. When a giant 31-by-12-mile cylindrical alien spaceship enters the solar system, the crew leaves to uncover its secrets. The novel was published in 1973 and won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards with its release. Arthur C. Clarke is best known for his book 2001: A Space Odysseyhe assisted in the film adaptation with Stanley Kubrick and co-wrote the screenplay. 2001 would grow into one of the most celebrated science fiction films of all time. Fans of Clarke or Kubrick might see this as a good sign since Villeneuve’s previous works, such as 2016’s He arrivesl, was compared with the works of Kubrick.
Denis Villeneuve’s Eyes to the Stars
Villeneuve certainly made a name for himself, especially with the success of Dune. Despite the tensions back and forth surrounding the movie’s release, a sequel has been officially given the green light by Warner Bros. The film was originally scheduled for November 2020, but was pushed back due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Villeneuve, meanwhile, has regularly made requests and statements to promote the film theatrically. The film was finally released on October 21, 2021, both theatrically and streamed on HBO Max. The film only adapted the first half of Frank Herbert’s classic novel, the sequel is expected to cover the second half and complete the story. Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about Villeneuve’s partnership for Rama.
“This is one of the most intelligent fiction works in the genre; it asks as many questions as it answers, and is a work for our time. It fits perfectly with our friend and collaborator Denis’ brilliant sensitivity and specifically with his love and passion for science fiction. We are also happy to work with Morgan and Lori, who have a long-standing passion for this IP. ”
While Villeneuve is still working hard in the sandy world of Arrakis, time will soon lead him astray Rama. And hopefully, soon, audiences will finally be able to see it on the silver screen.
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