M. Night Shyamalan must be the happiest guy in the world today -
Deadline are reporting that a deal has been struck at Sony for his new high concept sci-fi epic and no less than the biggest movie star on the planet,
Will Smith, and also his son
Jaden, have agreed to lead. Will Smith in the blockbuster environment always equals big money, and after The Last Airbender failed to make back it's budget domestically (it was bailed out by
overseas revenue), the more and more wackier writer/director is in need of a big hit more than ever before. Previously titled
One Thousand A.E. - the currently unnamed tentpole movie will follow the two Smith's as they crash land on a devastated, baron planet set 1,000 years in the future. All I can think of is the plot of Planet of the Apes, but I will take anything as the evil threat over wind like in The Happening. Shyamalan who has been in need of a screenwriting partner for years to be a soundboard and a person who can curb his more crazier ideas, has worked alongside
Garry Whitta (Book of Eli) on the original idea, which is at least promising. No word on the schedule for the movie but it looks like it could perhaps be the next picture of all the talent involved and it might well film late in the summer once Smith is finished with the much troubled Sony production of Men in Black 3. Very intrigued to hear more, aren't you?