Forever War

brian s

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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.
 
Saw that yesterday, he's been away from sci-fi too long since 1982's Blade Runner! and Alien before that. Not heard off the book before :rolleyes:, though Scott wanted to make the film 25 years ago, prevented by rights issues at that time. The story sounds interesting.
 
It's a highly regarded book in the sci-fi world.

foreverwar.jpg


The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Reviewed by John Glover, Reference Librarian for the Humanities

Joe Haldeman's The Forever War is a fast, gripping science fiction novel that tries to figure out what the costs are when war never ends, and what that might mean in outer space. If you think Star Wars or Star Trek when you think of SF, this book will broaden your mind. The action takes place on various space ships traveling throughout the galaxy at relativistic speeds, so when the characters return to Earth or their command posts, a hundred years may have passed, though they have aged only a couple years subjectively. The protagonist, one William Mandella, suffers all the agonies that you can imagine someone enduring over his centuries of military service, watching himself become ever more alienated from humanity as it changes and evolves into something new entirely -- and he remains fundamentally a 20th century man.

This novel was published in 1974, and it would have been impossible to read it back then without being reminded of Vietnam. U.S. veterans of that war often returned home to find their fellow Americans much different than they had been when they left, and that sense of dislocation is palpable throughout the book. From the moment it begins, the characters removed from the comforts of Earth, this novel shows you the world that interstellar travelers (military or otherwise) would experience and asks what implications it might have for their humanity.
 
Ridley Scott is not attached yet to direct. Maybe @brian s can amend to title, Forever War (TBA).

But Channing Tatum is attached, as both Sony and Warner Bros. are hotly bidding for the property.

Director Scott may get the gig if he's still interested.
 
Good news, The Forever War is a classic and Ridley Scott a great director.
 
One of my favourite books of all time, but Ridley Scott is not the right director for it. Needs someone with a young approach but with an old, cynical outlook on life, hhmm, maybe Ridley would work?
 
Regrettably and with a heavy heart I'll correct the inaccuracy in that earlier post:

...Ridley Scott WAS a great director.

My favourite helmer if truth be told, but a recent string of serious poo piles has - alas - left Rid living on previous reputation only. Damn shame.
 
No one (book readers) has mentioned if Channing Tatum a good fit for the film?

As for Scott, it's not in the bag, another director might helm.
 
I thought it was pretty certain that Scott won't direct?

Correct me if I've wrong but hasn't Scott option on the rights now elapsed?
 
I thought it was pretty certain that Scott won't direct?

Correct me if I've wrong but hasn't Scott option on the rights now elapsed?

Yes, but does not mean the new rights holders which includes Channing Tatum as producer who is trying to get it made, hence he is attached to star, they could hire Scott to direct, if he's up for that.
 

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