Sci-fi books screaming for a film adaptation

[Martin Alvito]

It seems to me that if we have a thread going about the best sci-fi films, we probably should also talk about the science fiction books that Hollywood has somehow failed to bring to the screen. Seeing how Hollywood's big studios seem rather dreadfully out of new ideas and wedded to the idea of bringing things to the screen that already have existing fan bases, it might be instructive to point out some of the opportunities that they're missing. Many of these would have been very difficult to pull off without modern special effects, but they're certainly doable today.

Just to get the ball rolling:

The Caves of Steel (Asimov)
The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (Heinlein)
Ubik (Dick)
Rendezvous with Rama (Clarke)
Neuromancer (Gibson)
Hyperion (Simmons)
Snow Crash (Stephenson)
Redshirts (Scalzi)

I'm sure that you all can come up with plenty of others, especially seeing how I'm a lot less conversant with the last decade and a half of sci-fi than the period before that.

 

[Manfred Belheim]

2001: A Space Odyssey (not actually a joke)

 

[BvBPL]

You want to make a movie based on a book based on a movie, Mamfred? Pretty recursive.

Weis's Dragonlance books would make an awesome tv series.

Also the Stainless Steel Rat series by Harrison is prime fodder for movies. Sci Fi heist movies would be awesome.

 

[Dachs]

The Acts of Caine, by Matt Stover. Heroes Die, Blade of Tyshalle, Caine Black Knife, and Caine's Law. I guess they're more SF/F than SF; the science fiction aspects of the setting mostly exist to facilitate the Overworld fantasy.

Hyperion (Simmons)

[...]

Redshirts (Scalzi)

I genuinely don't know how well Simmons' writing would transfer to the big screen. His writing is deeply referential in a literary sense; would Brawne Lamia and Johnny's story even make sense without the ability to refer to Keats? Even ignoring that, though, the Decameron-style tale-telling approach in Hyperion makes more sense as a television or streaming series. Ilium and Olympos would probably also work better as a series.

Redshirts started development as a TV series on FX a year and a half ago, but the project seems to have gone dark since then.

 

[Martin Alvito]

You want to make a movie based on a book based on a movie, Mamfred? Pretty recursive.

I'm guessing that he's expressing dissatisfaction with the original - effects outdated, therefore in need of a remake. Personally, I wouldn't mind a better explanation of what's going on in the final act in the film. Good thing that there's a companion book to make sense of all that. Otherwise the original is fantastic.

Weis's Dragonlance books would make an awesome tv series.

Definitely think that it could work, though the rights situation on that one could be messy.

The Acts of Caine, by Matt Stover. Heroes Die, Blade of Tyshalle, Caine Black Knife, and Caine's Law. I guess they're more SF/F than SF; the science fiction aspects of the setting mostly exist to facilitate the Overworld fantasy.

*blank stare*

Looks like I need to get reading.

I genuinely don't know how well Simmons' writing would transfer to the big screen. His writing is deeply referential in a literary sense; would Brawne Lamia and Johnny's story even make sense without the ability to refer to Keats? Even ignoring that, though, the Decameron-style tale-telling approach in Hyperion makes more sense as a television or streaming series. Ilium and Olympos would probably also work better as a series.

I'd definitely agree that it'd be by far the hardest project to get a single film out of. And you're certainly correct that Keats and Lamia's story would be challenging to explain with a minimum of dialogue. Some HBO-style sexposition might be required. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Ilium as a film/series, though it might be a little out there for some viewers.

Redshirts started development as a TV series on FX a year and a half ago, but the project seems to have gone dark since then.

Some of the ones that I mentioned have been kicked about. Ubik was being worked on as recently as a couple of years ago. Neuromancer has been kicked about off-and-on as a project since shortly after it was written, much the way that Ender's Game floated in limbo for over a decade. I also know that Snow Crash has also been optioned, only to drop back out of sight as a project.

 

[Darsnan]

Redshirts started development as a TV series on FX a year and a half ago, but the project seems to have gone dark since then.

Really!?! Out of all of Scalzi's work I would've thought "Old Man's War" would've been greenlighted first: its a bang-up action adventure with some really novel gimmicks peppered throughout. And on top of all that its a love story.

Also, from an older generation, what about Ringworld?

D

 

[Ajidica]

Also, from an older generation, what about Ringworld?

I'm not sure. The actual story of Ringworld is pretty bland. What makes Ringworld great is the science and thought process behind it and I don't know how well that would transfer into a movie.

Anyhow, my recommendations are:

A Canticle for Leibowitz- I mean seriously, how has this not been made into a movie? The dialogue holds up well and I can't immediately think of anything that would make it hard to shoot.

Demon - Easily John Varley's best work. The two prequels (Titan and Wizard) can be skipped as Titan isn't very good and Wizard is basically one long setup for Demon. The characters are well written, the setting is visually appealing, and it would appeal to studio execs right now as of the seven main characters, five are women.

Sir MacHinery - I loved the book when I was younger and it involves and American scientist moving to a remote Scottish castle to build a robot, and the robot gets kidnapped by some fairies to fight an army of demons. The heroes, consisting of the robot, the scientist, a constable, an elderly Scottish Sargent-Major, a witch, and Merlin, fight into the demons lair and save the world.

The Dominic Flandrey series by Poul Anderson. Basically James Bond in Space during the Fall of the Roman Empire; the books are good pulpy fun brought to a higher level by a surprising amount of self-awareness by Anderson and the fact he never treats the "natives" as mindless savages, they are just as cunning, intelligent, noble, and duplicitous as the Terran Empire.

 

[Kyriakos]

At the Mountains of Madness?

It was to be filmed. But they abandoned it.

 

[Dachs]

I'd definitely agree that it'd be by far the hardest project to get a single film out of. And you're certainly correct that Keats and Lamia's story would be challenging to explain with a minimum of dialogue. Some HBO-style sexposition might be required. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing Ilium as a film/series, though it might be a little out there for some viewers.

Once they got to the stuff in The Fall of Hyperion, I imagine it'd be a bit easier. Still an awful lot to cram into a single film, though.

One of the other advantages of doing Hyperion - or even Ilium - is that it was written before Simmons' opinions on Judaism and Islam got super weird.

Really!?! Out of all of Scalzi's work I would've thought "Old Man's War" would've been greenlighted first: its a bang-up action adventure with some really novel gimmicks peppered throughout. And on top of all that its a love story.

I think OMW is closer to a film than a series, whereas the Redshirts conceit was basically built for the small screen. It's an SF novel about a SF show! Movie studios are taking fewer "gambles" with non-established franchises, but TV is always hungry for more ideas.

 

[Manfred Belheim]

You want to make a movie based on a book based on a movie, Mamfred? Pretty recursive.

Yeah I think it could be done a lot better The book isn't perfect either, but I've read it quite a few times and there's a lot in there that I always wish was in the film too. And quite a few bits in the film I could do without.

 

[Martin Alvito]

Really!?! Out of all of Scalzi's work I would've thought "Old Man's War" would've been greenlighted first: its a bang-up action adventure with some really novel gimmicks peppered throughout. And on top of all that its a love story.

So I knew that this one would come up. OMW is, in my estimation, by far the better book. The main story of Redshirts didn't do that much for me, though the aftermath short stories were great (the blog is screamingly funny). Thing is, though, that project is such a no-brainer to greenlight. Everybody knows about the redshirts already, and everybody wants to see them strike back.

Also, from an older generation, what about Ringworld?

It's not the greatest story, at the end of the day. Niven's strengths lay in hard sci-fi, which doesn't necessarily translate all that well to the screen. If we're talking about Niven specifically, I would absolutely love to see The Mote in God's Eye. Another good one from that era is Gateway by Pohl.

 

[Zelig]

FYI, SyFy is doing Hyperion already.

What does Philip K. Dick have left that hasn't been adapted to screen? I solidly enjoyed the first season of Man in the High Castle.

 

[Dachs]

FYI, SyFy is doing Hyperion already.

Did not know that. With Bradley Cooper attached, too, apparently?

 

[innonimatu]

Never got what people find so good in Snow Crash.

A Canticle for Leibowitz- I mean seriously, how has this not been made into a movie? The dialogue holds up well and I can't immediately think of anything that would make it hard to shoot.

This. But the time to do it would have been the 80s, when nuclear holocaust/end of the world worries were widespread.

 

[Martin Alvito]

Never got what people find so good in Snow Crash.

The Deliverator is basically the most hilarious short story ever written in sci-fi? I'll be the first to admit that the story gets bogged down by its own conceits in the second half. But when that book goes for comedy, it succeeds in spades.

Did not know that. With Bradley Cooper attached, too, apparently?

Sounds quite good. I assume that he's supposed to be the Consul? Need somebody legit funny to play Martin. Carlin would have been perfect, if it the adaptation had been done fifteen years ago.

What does Philip K. Dick have left that hasn't been adapted to screen? I solidly enjoyed the first season of Man in the High Castle.

Rather a lot. Ubik is the most obvious, but Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said and Martian Time Slip also jump out. Now Wait for Last Year is another one that's been optioned, but not carried through to completion.

 

[Mouthwash]

Any sci-fi book that 'screams' for a film adaptation likely isn't good sci-fi in the first place. The two mediums are at complete odds with each other. Can anyone imagine A Fire Upon the Deep or Blindsight as a movie or show?

 

[Dachs]

Sounds quite good. I assume that he's supposed to be the Consul? Need somebody legit funny to play Martin. Carlin would have been perfect.

LOUIS CK

I don't know if Cooper is actually going to be in it. The article I saw just mentioned producer's credit.

Any sci-fi book that 'screams' for a film adaptation likely isn't good sci-fi in the first place (though I view only hard sci-fi as a genuine part of the genre). The two mediums are at complete odds with each other. Can you imagine A Fire Upon the Deep or Blindsight as movie or show material?

that's certainly an opinion

it's not a good opinion as far as I'm concerned, but it's an opinion

 

[BvBPL]

I might as well ride the Dick wagon too and add Valis.

 

[Martin Alvito]

LOUIS CK

Pretty much has to be. We already know that he can play off Cooper. That film is a scream.

I don't know if Cooper is actually going to be in it. The article I saw just mentioned producer's credit.

I would find it hard to believe that he wouldn't have a major role in such a production, as the 'name' that's going to sell the production to a mass audience.

Any sci-fi book that 'screams' for a film adaptation likely isn't good sci-fi in the first place. The two mediums are at complete odds with each other. Can anyone imagine A Fire Upon the Deep or Blindsight as a movie or show?

I also happen to disagree here. The Caves of Steel is flat out screaming for an adaptation. Manageable story size, very current theme (men getting displaced from work by robots), phenomenal story, obviously got passed over at the time due to the difficulty of depicting its world with current technology (which is no longer an issue). It's not just good sci-fi, it's great sci-fi, but you could easily make a great movie out of it. Better yet, from a production standpoint you've got two more solid source novels to make sequels from.

I mean, yeah, you could make an I, Robot hash of it too, but there's no reason that has to happen given the nature of the source material.

 

[Mouthwash]

that's certainly an opinion

it's not a good opinion as far as I'm concerned, but it's an opinion

The fact that most sci-fi movies today are behind sci-fi novels from the fifties kinda bears this out.

I also happen to disagree here. The Caves of Steel is flat out screaming for an adaptation. Manageable story size, very current theme (men getting displaced from work by robots), phenomenal story, obviously got passed over at the time due to the difficulty of depicting its world with current technology (which is no longer an issue). It's not just good sci-fi, it's great sci-fi, but you could easily make a great movie out of it. Better yet, from a production standpoint you've got two more solid source novels to make sequels from.

That's a detective story with a sci-fi theme (according to the author's own statements, apparently, I haven't read it). Real, or hard, sci-fi can't be made into film.