No one can ever accuse director Ridley Scott of being stuck in a rut. He's tackled gladiators, love stories, the Crusades, war stories, and political thrillers. Now he's returning to the genre that, arguably, made his name -- science fiction. According to Variety, he is finally in possession of the rights to Joe Haldeman's 1974 novel, "The Forever War."
Scott has wanted to adapt this book for over 20 years, and originally intended it as a follow-up to "Blade Runner" and "Alien." Can you imagine? We would have had a trilogy of Scott sci-fi! Complications ensued when Scott tried to get the rights, but as you can see, he triumphed in the end.
The story revolves around a soldier who battles an enemy in deep space for a few months, but returns home to find a planet he doesn't recognize, because 20 years have passed. Scott describes it as "a science-fiction epic, a bit of ‘The Odyssey’ by way of ‘Blade Runner,’ built upon a brilliant, disorienting premise."
A search for a screenwriter has begun immediately, and it sounds as though Scott intends this as his follow-up to the delayed "Nottingham." Let's hope none of his other projects (he has at least two other films in the works) take precedence, as the one thing science fiction needs is a good dose of Ridley Scott. Do you think he'll hire his best friend, Russell Crowe, to star?
Now it's your turn, readers -- how many of you "Blade Runner" and "Alien" fans are jumping up and down at the thought of Scott returning to the genre? Do you think he's lost his edge since then? Are you hoping he finally parts ways with his leading man Crowe? Sound off!
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