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blankpage
10-13-2008, 06:54 PM
I've never read the book, but the premise is interesting as hell. Scott is a master in the sci-fi genre, so I welcome this news and eagerly anticipate this one.

Ridley Scott takes on 'Forever War'
Fox 2000 film based on Joe Haldeman novel
By MICHAEL FLEMING

Fox 2000 has acquired rights to Joe Haldeman’s 1974 novel "The Forever War," and Ridley Scott is planning to make it into his first science fiction film since he delivered back-to-back classics with "Blade Runner" and "Alien."

Scott intended to follow those films with "The Forever War," but rights complications delayed his plans for more than two decades.

The film will be produced by Scott Free. Vince Gerardis and Ralph Vicinanza will exec produce. Their company, Created By, reps Haldeman and spent the last decade trying to get back the rights.

"I first pursued ‘Forever War’ 25 years ago, and the book has only grown more timely and relevant since," Scott told Daily Variety. "It’s a science-fiction epic, a bit of ‘The Odyssey’ by way of ‘Blade Runner,’ built upon a brilliant, disorienting premise."

Book revolves around a soldier who battles an enemy in deep space for only a few months, only to return home to a planet he doesn’t recognize some 20 years later, Scott said.

"The Forever War" rights were acquired right after publication by f/x titan Richard Edlund, who spent $400,000 of his own money and intended to make the book his directorial debut. The book became an iconic sci-fi title but Edlund, who won two Oscars — including one for visual effects on "Raiders of the Lost Ark" — never got "The Forever War" off the ground. After a Sci Fi Channel miniseries stalled, Scott became interested again and Edlund was ready to make a deal. It took six months to secure all the rights.

Scott Free and Fox 2000’s Elizabeth Gabler and Rodney Ferrell will hire a writer immediately. Scott, whose "Body of Lies" was released Friday, next plans to direct "Nottingham," starring Russell Crowe. He has several other projects percolating that include the thriller "Child 44," for which Richard Price just penned a script, and "Gucci," about the internecine squabbles within the fashion family that led to the murder of Maurizio Gucci. That Fox 2000 pic has a new draft by Charles Randolph.

Source: http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117993856.html?categoryid=13&cs=1


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outsyder
10-13-2008, 07:20 PM
It's a damn good book and I think Ridley will be able to do wonders with it. Very much in his vein of intriguing science fiction.

FireCaptain4
10-13-2008, 08:27 PM
I own a copy and am going to be spending my free time re-reading it thanks to this news. This is awesome indeed. "The Forever War" is an amazing sci-fi novel and one of my favorite novels ever (that I've read, of course). This definitely has potential to be as good as Scott's other great sci-fi films ("Alien" and "Blade Runner") and thank God he's finally returning to the genre!

:D This news makes me as giddy as a schoolgirl! :o

blankpage
10-13-2008, 11:14 PM
I'm definitely going to have to pick up the novel. Like I said before, I love this concept...so, off the bookstore I go!

DareDevil
10-13-2008, 11:27 PM
Ridley Scott is one of my favorite directors so yeah this sounds bad ass... I hope he follows through and puts it into production. I'm mad at myself that I havent seen Body of Lies yet, but it's really high up on the to do list.

Monotreme
10-14-2008, 06:19 AM
It's Ridley. I trust him completely - production will be top-notch, casting will be stellar (hopefully - he's had one major casting slip-up as far as I'm concerned and that's Orlando Bloom as the lead in Kingdom of Heaven), and it's Ridley doing sci-fi so I'm totally there. I hope this works out. I'm far more interested in this than in that Nottingham project.

corran horn
10-14-2008, 04:58 PM
I'm definitely going to have to pick up the novel. Like I said before, I love this concept...so, off the bookstore I go!

You might have to wait a bit. According to Amazon, the book doesn't get rereleased until March 31.

outsyder
10-14-2008, 06:22 PM
It's Ridley. I trust him completely - production will be top-notch, casting will be stellar (hopefully - he's had one major casting slip-up as far as I'm concerned and that's Orlando Bloom as the lead in Kingdom of Heaven), and it's Ridley doing sci-fi so I'm totally there. I hope this works out. I'm far more interested in this than in that Nottingham project.

Have you seen the Director's Cut of Kingdom?

Bloom is much less annoying and actually handles the role pretty well. This coming from a guy who usually can't stand him.


As for the book, it's not like it's obscure or anything. You could likely find it in your local bookstore.

The Young Son
10-14-2008, 07:33 PM
Never heard of the book, but the premise sounds intriguing. Add to the fact that Scott is directing and it's SCI-FI, I am so there.

chinton
10-14-2008, 07:51 PM
Hopefully this will be Ridley's return to great filmaking rather than very competent films.