The Sci-Fi Space Classic Novel Finally Getting Adaptation Thanks To Dune Director
Although he’s directed some great movies in the past, like Blade Runner 2049, Denis Villeneuve is mostly known for his work on the Dune films. While there have been talks about more movies in the franchise inspired by Frank Herbert’s novels, the filmmaker wants to explore other stories like Arthur C. Clarke’s sci-fi classic Rendezvous with Rama.
Rumors of a big-screen adaptation of Rendezvous with Rama have been doing the rounds for years. In a 2023 interview, Dune writer Eric Roth hinted that work on the film was already underway. I just wrote a film for Denis Villeneuve,” Roth said. “I won’t tell you what it is. It’s kind of a secret of its own. We’ll see what ends up happening with that, but it’s about space and time, and it’s very long.”
Rendezvous with Rama is described as hard sci-fi, not space opera.
In March 2022, Villeneuve mentioned Rendezvous with Rama when discussing his upcoming projects. He described the story as “Arrival on steroids.” The movie would be based on the 1973 sci-fi book by Arthur C. Clarke, who won the Hugo and Nebula Awards for Best Novel. Villeneuve likening Rendezvous with Rama to his 2016 movie Arrival is a major compliment, given its influence on the genre.
Arrival earned approximately $200 million at the box office against a budget of about $50 million and received widespread acclaim. Winning the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing, the movie was also nominated for Best Picture and Best Director. Rumors suggest that a film version of Rendezvous with Rama could be in development sometime in 2024.
Rendezvous with Rama is set in the 2130s when the solar system is colonized more or less peacefully. The plot focuses on a cylindrical alien ship called Rama entering the Solar System. The story follows the crew of a space probe sent to explore Rama before it leaves the solar system. When extraterrestrial beings appear, they’re neither communicative nor hostile.
In March 2022, Villeneuve mentioned Rendezvous with Rama when discussing his upcoming projects…he described the story as “Arrival on steroids.”
Rendezvous with Rama is described as hard sci-fi, not space opera. The book is divided into three parts. The first, details of the arrival of the second Rama module in the solar system, while the second delves into the launch and arrival of the mission to investigate the ship. The third part follows a specific character who discovers more about the ship.
Actor Morgan Freeman was interested in creating a film based on Rendezvous with Rama in the early 2000s. However, the project remained trapped in the development stages for years. After finding funding in 2003, it seemed like the movie would get the green light. It was to be produced under Freeman’s production banner, Revelations Entertainment.
In a 2007 interview, David Fincher revealed that he would be directing the Rendezvous with Rama adaptation. But things took a turn in 2008, and Fincher admitted that the project was scrapped due to various reasons, including Morgan Freeman’s ill-health. “It looks like it’s not going to happen,” the filmmaker said. “We’ve been trying to do it, but it’s probably not going to happen.”
Rumors suggest that a film version of Rendezvous with Rama could be in development sometime in 2024.
If Denis Villeneuve is able to get his version of Rendezvous with Rama off the ground, the film will likely be a success. The filmmaker is coming off the success of two Dune movies, and anything he touches after will probably be a hit. There has also been a renewed interest in the sci-fi genre in recent years, so new stories will resonate with viewers who are tired of remakes and reboots.
Source: Time
