Ready Player One (2018, D: Spielberg) S: Cooke, Sheridan, Rylance, Mendelsohn, Pegg
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Ready Player One (2018, D: Spielberg) S: Cooke, Sheridan, Rylance, Mendelsohn, Pegg
EXCLUSIVE: Steven Spielberg is set to direct Ready Player One, the highly anticipated project based on the popular sci-fi book by Ernest Cline that takes place in a virtual world. What a coup for Warner Bros, which will bring it to the screen along with Village Roadshow. This is expected to be Spielberg’s next movie after The BFG.
Ready Player One also marks the director’s return to Warner Bros after a 14-year absence. The last picture he directed there was A.I. Artificial Intelligence in 2001, which the grandmaster Stanley Kubrick had developed there. Before that, it was Empire Of The Sun (1987) and the critically acclaimed The Color Purple (1985). He also produced Gremlins and Goonies in the mid-1980s for the studio. “We are thrilled to welcome Steven back to Warner Bros,” said Greg Silverman, the studio’s President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production. “We had an historic series of collaborations in the 1980s and 1990s and have wanted to bring him back for years.”
With this news, a question arises about how they will bring a key element of the book’s virtual world to life for the big screen. After all, it seems imperative for the audience to feel like they were dropped into the middle of a video game.
That kind of technology is just becoming available, and if these guys implement that, this could change the face of cinema. The studio has been on the cutting edge of this kind of thing before, pushing the envelope with technology and visual effects with such films as The Lego Movie, Inception and The Matrix – all with great results. If anyone can pull it off again, it will be these guys.
First the story, then the possible rights issues and cinematic technology that are involved in bringing the story to the big screen: The book takes place in 2044 and follows the story of a virtual-reality game creator who offers up his entire company to the best player who can find an Easter egg in one of his many virtual worlds via a game called OASIS. A teenager named Wade Watts decides to take it on after millions have failed over many decades. The key to winning the game is a plethora of pop culture clues from generations before. Whomever figures it out and wins the game — without having their avatars killed in the process — takes over the entire OASIS empire.
Ready Player One was published by Random House Crown in 2011, however the studio acquired the rights to the film in 2010 for producers Donald De Line and Dan Farah, who orchestrated the screen sale along with Foundry Literary. They will produce with Kristie Macosko Krieger. Warner Bros plunked down a high-six-figure deal, besting other suitors at the time. The book has become a phenomenon, published in 40 countries; it was on The New York Times‘ best seller’s list and was chosen best-of by numerous news and pop cultures websites around the globe. Silverman, who was President of Production at the time, bought the project to the studio. It is being overseen by SVP Production Jesse Ehrman and production executive Racheline Benveniste.
Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, The Avengers) wrote the latest script after taking over the duties from Cline and Eric Eason (A Better Life). Interestingly, Penn and Cline worked together on the video game documentary Atari: Game Over and have said to be collaborating on the Ready Player One script extremely well for some time.
Now, the rights issue: The book is loaded with references of popular culture spanning decades, especially rich in 1980s video game icons. How will the studio handle that? “I think what we have to do is drill down to the best version of the movie and then see who wants to be a part of what will surely be a great film,” Silverman told Deadline. “What we found with The Lego Movie is that when we went and talked to those having the rights, people got excited about being involved.” For that film, Warners already owned Batman but did not have rights to Star Wars. They were able to secure that for an animated version, however. And Lego already had a licensing deal with Star Wars.
Now the possible technology that could be used: How will they bring the virtual world to life? “At Warners, we always have our eye on all the groundbreaking visual effects and technology available worldwide, and we feel very confidant with any new ground that Steven would want to tackle,” said Silverman. “He’s a master filmmaker, so we feel very comfortable with him. The story is the main thing, and whatever works best for audience enjoyment is what we’ll do.”
Virtual-reality technology is being developed around the nation. Down in Hollywood, FL, right now, that has gotten the attention of some big investors, including Google and Qualcomm. The company, Magic Leap, has promised to push cinematic reality by providing an experience beyond 3D; in fact, it is said to put 3D into the rearview mirror as far as technological advances because it fools the brain into believing that a 3D object is actually real. And it supposedly does it without making the viewers nauseated (key point).
Magic Leap has been designing virtual-world technology for some time and already is valued at $1 billion without even putting a product out. How so? Any potential investor it brings in goes apesh*t over what they see, though the company has kept most of what they are doing under wraps publicly.
Other companies are also said to be developing similar technology to shift reality, including Nvidia and MIT Media Lab.
Might Ready Player One be the way to showcase a new technology that is said to make virtual feel real? Last year, Google led a round of investors that poured $524 million into the company; the group included venture capital and private equity firms such as Obvious Ventures, KKR, Andreessen Horowitz and Kleiner Perkins.
Certainly all involved have thought about that. Who knows which technology they will use, but it’s definitely out there, and companies are scrambling to develop the first one used in cinema. Spielberg is repped by CAA and attorney Bruce Ramer.
Ready Player One also marks the director’s return to Warner Bros after a 14-year absence. The last picture he directed there was A.I. Artificial Intelligence in 2001, which the grandmaster Stanley Kubrick had developed there. Before that, it was Empire Of The Sun (1987) and the critically acclaimed The Color Purple (1985). He also produced Gremlins and Goonies in the mid-1980s for the studio. “We are thrilled to welcome Steven back to Warner Bros,” said Greg Silverman, the studio’s President of Creative Development and Worldwide Production. “We had an historic series of collaborations in the 1980s and 1990s and have wanted to bring him back for years.”
With this news, a question arises about how they will bring a key element of the book’s virtual world to life for the big screen. After all, it seems imperative for the audience to feel like they were dropped into the middle of a video game.
That kind of technology is just becoming available, and if these guys implement that, this could change the face of cinema. The studio has been on the cutting edge of this kind of thing before, pushing the envelope with technology and visual effects with such films as The Lego Movie, Inception and The Matrix – all with great results. If anyone can pull it off again, it will be these guys.
First the story, then the possible rights issues and cinematic technology that are involved in bringing the story to the big screen: The book takes place in 2044 and follows the story of a virtual-reality game creator who offers up his entire company to the best player who can find an Easter egg in one of his many virtual worlds via a game called OASIS. A teenager named Wade Watts decides to take it on after millions have failed over many decades. The key to winning the game is a plethora of pop culture clues from generations before. Whomever figures it out and wins the game — without having their avatars killed in the process — takes over the entire OASIS empire.
Ready Player One was published by Random House Crown in 2011, however the studio acquired the rights to the film in 2010 for producers Donald De Line and Dan Farah, who orchestrated the screen sale along with Foundry Literary. They will produce with Kristie Macosko Krieger. Warner Bros plunked down a high-six-figure deal, besting other suitors at the time. The book has become a phenomenon, published in 40 countries; it was on The New York Times‘ best seller’s list and was chosen best-of by numerous news and pop cultures websites around the globe. Silverman, who was President of Production at the time, bought the project to the studio. It is being overseen by SVP Production Jesse Ehrman and production executive Racheline Benveniste.
Zak Penn (X-Men: The Last Stand, The Avengers) wrote the latest script after taking over the duties from Cline and Eric Eason (A Better Life). Interestingly, Penn and Cline worked together on the video game documentary Atari: Game Over and have said to be collaborating on the Ready Player One script extremely well for some time.
Now, the rights issue: The book is loaded with references of popular culture spanning decades, especially rich in 1980s video game icons. How will the studio handle that? “I think what we have to do is drill down to the best version of the movie and then see who wants to be a part of what will surely be a great film,” Silverman told Deadline. “What we found with The Lego Movie is that when we went and talked to those having the rights, people got excited about being involved.” For that film, Warners already owned Batman but did not have rights to Star Wars. They were able to secure that for an animated version, however. And Lego already had a licensing deal with Star Wars.
Now the possible technology that could be used: How will they bring the virtual world to life? “At Warners, we always have our eye on all the groundbreaking visual effects and technology available worldwide, and we feel very confidant with any new ground that Steven would want to tackle,” said Silverman. “He’s a master filmmaker, so we feel very comfortable with him. The story is the main thing, and whatever works best for audience enjoyment is what we’ll do.”
Virtual-reality technology is being developed around the nation. Down in Hollywood, FL, right now, that has gotten the attention of some big investors, including Google and Qualcomm. The company, Magic Leap, has promised to push cinematic reality by providing an experience beyond 3D; in fact, it is said to put 3D into the rearview mirror as far as technological advances because it fools the brain into believing that a 3D object is actually real. And it supposedly does it without making the viewers nauseated (key point).
Magic Leap has been designing virtual-world technology for some time and already is valued at $1 billion without even putting a product out. How so? Any potential investor it brings in goes apesh*t over what they see, though the company has kept most of what they are doing under wraps publicly.
Other companies are also said to be developing similar technology to shift reality, including Nvidia and MIT Media Lab.
Might Ready Player One be the way to showcase a new technology that is said to make virtual feel real? Last year, Google led a round of investors that poured $524 million into the company; the group included venture capital and private equity firms such as Obvious Ventures, KKR, Andreessen Horowitz and Kleiner Perkins.
Certainly all involved have thought about that. Who knows which technology they will use, but it’s definitely out there, and companies are scrambling to develop the first one used in cinema. Spielberg is repped by CAA and attorney Bruce Ramer.
#3
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
Has anyone here read the book on which it's based?
#6
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
Holy shit is right.
Yes; the book is an amazing story for the 80's gen. If you grew up playing Atari and watching WarGames, you will love the book.
Yes; the book is an amazing story for the 80's gen. If you grew up playing Atari and watching WarGames, you will love the book.
#8
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
I'm thinking Spielberg's clout will facilitate licensing on various properties on an exponential level... which means I'm almost entirely sure we'll see the Doc Brown's DeLorean make a brand new screen appearance for the first time in 25+ years
#10
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
I read it last year sometime, and loved it. One of those books that I just tore through in a couple of days without even planning to. Though I'm a Gen-Exer all the way who loves all this geeky shit. I'd be curious to hear what readers who weren't of that generation thought.
Exactly in his wheelhouse. Maybe my only concern is that he's not such a big fan of all the 80's references ... just keeping the YA characters, virtual-reality dystopia sci-fi meat of the story. Though considering the alternative directors could be a guy like Paul WS Anderson ... this is fantastic news.
I sure hope so. I know it's probably not realistic to expect them to get the rights to every reference. But there are a few that I'm hoping make it. Especially:
But what really has to be there for me is ...
Spoiler:
But what really has to be there for me is ...
Spoiler:
#11
DVD Talk Legend
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
I'm not sure why the article suggests that this movie can't be made without VR (a headset for each viewer?). Do they know that Spielberg wants to do that, or are they just speculating?
#12
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
It does sound like "Ready Player One" will be one of those rare movies where a 3D presentation would really enhance things.
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Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
So anyone want to take bets on how it'll take for this to go the way of Robopocalypse or any number of numerous high-profile films Spielberg initially attached his name to, showed a lot of enthusiasm for, started cast negotiations and location scouting, then suddenly lost interest and put on indefinite hold?
#14
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Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
So anyone want to take bets on how it'll take for this to go the way of Robopocalypse or any number of numerous high-profile films Spielberg initially attached his name to, showed a lot of enthusiasm for, started cast negotiations and location scouting, then suddenly lost interest and put on indefinite hold?
#16
DVD Talk Gold Edition
Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
I really wish I was having the same experience with the book as others. I'm maybe halfway through it and, to me, the 80s references come so fast and furious they feel forced and pandering. The "let's just throw everything against the wall and see what sticks" approach. I think it's lazy and I don't really like it, but a lot of the pop culture referenced was not part of my childhood at all so that may have something to do with it. Again, just my opinion.
I think the movie could be really fun though, and Spielberg is kind of the perfect choice to direct. Regardless of how I feel about the book, I'm looking forward to the movie.
I think the movie could be really fun though, and Spielberg is kind of the perfect choice to direct. Regardless of how I feel about the book, I'm looking forward to the movie.
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Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
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Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
I really wish I was having the same experience with the book as others. I'm maybe halfway through it and, to me, the 80s references come so fast and furious they feel forced and pandering. The "let's just throw everything against the wall and see what sticks" approach. I think it's lazy and I don't really like it, but a lot of the pop culture referenced was not part of my childhood at all so that may have something to do with it. Again, just my opinion.
I think the movie could be really fun though, and Spielberg is kind of the perfect choice to direct. Regardless of how I feel about the book, I'm looking forward to the movie.
I think the movie could be really fun though, and Spielberg is kind of the perfect choice to direct. Regardless of how I feel about the book, I'm looking forward to the movie.
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#25
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Re: Ready Player One (D: Spielberg)
O, Save the Last Dance, Crazy/Beautiful, Romeo Must Die (Aaliyah was young), etc; they kind of fell out of favor after 2002.
Last edited by RichC2; 03-28-15 at 11:26 AM.