Exclusive: Chris Pratt Attached To Day The Earth Stood Still Remake
Well, apparently the Earth is getting really good at standing still. At least it seems that way according to our trusted and proven sources, who tell us that 20th Century Studios is once more remaking the 1951 sci-fi classic The Day the Earth Stood Still. This time it will be Chris Pratt in the lead role of Klaatu — the alien who arrives on Earth with a dire warning for humanity.
The remake should provide a chance for Chris Pratt to work outside his comfort zone. His work in the Jurassic World and Marvel‘s Guardians of the Galaxy franchises may have turned him into an action star, but — unless the new remake varies wildly from the previous incarnations — The Day the Earth Stood Still has never been an action film.
Chris Pratt has signed on to play the alien Klaatu in a new remake of The Day the Earth Stood Still.
In both the original film and the 2008 remake, The Day the Earth Stood Still tells the story of an alien attempting to learn more about humanity. In the original, Klaatu warns that humanity is worrying the rest of the galaxy because of its growing aggressive tendencies, while in the remake the alien means to save us from ecological self-destruction.
Klaatu is not, in other words, a role that lends itself well to the kind of quip-filled lightheartedness that Chris Pratt is known for.
The Original
Starring the late Michael Rennie as Klaatu, the original The Day the Earth Stood Still remains one of the most influential sci-fi movies in cinema. Like much of the best science fiction, it was meant as more than simply a way to stoke children’s imaginations. Made in the early days of the Cold War, it challenges its audience to look beyond the scope of national identity and consider the global cost of never-ending hostility.
The 2008 Remake
Like its predecessor, 2008’s The Day the Earth Stood Still addresses a global message — climate change. Played by Keanu Reeves, this new version of Klaatu comes to save humanity from its own self-destruction, though this time, the Earth’s immediate reaction to the visitor is much more hostile.
While the original film ends ambiguously — with Klaatu leaving Earth and warning humanity about the possible consequences of their continuing aggression — the remake isn’t as kind to us. Reeves’ version of Klaatu saves Earth from destruction, but he also shuts down all electronic devices on the planet.
It will be interesting to see what angle Chris Pratt’s version of The Day the Earth Stood Still takes. Once we know more about the upcoming remake, we’ll make sure to update you.
