How difficult is it to make a good movie out of the definitive anthology science fiction television series? Very hard, it seems…
The 7,000th different writer to board Warner Bros’ plans for a feature film based on Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone” was hired this past week. Variety reported on Wednesday that screenwriter Joby Harold is the latest to re-write the passy-the-parcel screenplay that “Cloverfield” and “Let Me In” helmer Matt Reeves will direct as his next film. Harold’s credits include a totally forgettable 2007 Hayden Christensen thriller “Awake” but more recently he has been re-writing Doug Liman’s forthcoming Tom Cruise sci-fi movie “All You Need is Kill” at WB.
Jason Rothenberg originally penned “The Twilight Zone” script that “Sherlock Holmes” writer Tony Peckham took a stab at for a revision and although Harold is only the third screenwriter for this particular incarnation, producer Leonardo DiCaprio has hired others in the past in his determined effort to get a childhood favourite show revived on the big screen.
As we were told in October, the new take on “The Twilight Zone” won’t be an anthology film like Spielberg and co’s 80s effort that is a largely forgotten production but one ”big science fiction action movie with a single freestanding story that is linked to the original series mainly in that it shares that familiarly eerie feel.”
Warner Bros are thinking tentpole with this, perhaps even kicking off a franchise in this post-The Dark Knight and Harry Potter era when they are in need of the next big thing.
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4 Comments
Dam, you internet writers are scum bags. Hayden Christensen was great in Awake as was the story and direction. It made it’s total budget plus several million over and THAT in Hollywood is a GOOD thing.
Don’t remember criticising Christensen but there you go.
Matt your writing is dismal. Awake made it’s entire budget PLUS several million which in Hollywood is a “home run”. Making Hayden Christensen the heavy in the article is just about as low as you can get. It was a wonderfully written, acted, and directed movie, it was certainly NOT forgettable, it was a great movie!
I thought Awake was actually pretty good. Not a big movie but entertaining. A little different and cool. My big complaint was the promotion of the movie gave away to much plot in poster taglines and trailers. I think Joby Harold is talented as a writer and director and the “Hayden Christensen thriller “Awake”” is somewhat underrated.