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Dan Simmons's Hyperion Sci-Fi Series Being Adapted by Warner Bros

April 3, 2008
Source: Hollywood Reporter
by Alex Billington

Hyperion Cantos

We're in dire need of some new sci-fi movies that involve space battles, alien creatures, universal heroes, everything. Thankfully Warner Brothers seems to up to the task, recently approving an adaptation of the Hyperion Cantos book series. Dan Simmons' award-winning science fiction series features a frame story structure and numerous smaller short stories all set around a planet named Hyperion. If you're unfamiliar with the popular series, then you're in for a treat - it's a very imaginative sci-fi collection that definitely seems like it could adapted into a wonderful sci-fi flick. Now we just hope Warner Brothers brings on a director that won't turn this into a pile of mush.

The Hyperion Cantos includes four individual books in total: Hyperion, The Fall of Hyperion, Endymion, The Rise of Endymion (published from 1989 to 1997). The first book, Hyperion, won the Hugo Award for best novel in 1990 and the second, The Fall of Hyperion, was nominated for a Nebula Award for best novel. You can find the first two individually on Amazon.com for pretty dang cheap. An article on the internet praises the series: "It is rare to find a series of books as imaginative, adventurous, and thought provoking as the Hyperion Cantos Series by Dan Simmons."

Hyperion deals with a space war, with most of the action taking place on a planet named Hyperion, known not only for its electricity-spewing trees but also for the Time Tombs, large artifacts that can move through time. The tombs are guarded by a monster called the Shrike, which impales people on metal trees. The series is inspired heavily by Giovanni Boccaccio's Decameron and Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. The cantos is highly complex, featuring multiple time-lines and characters whose behavior changes dramatically, which was a challenge to adapt and the biggest issue that was overcome before Warner Brothers picked it up.

Newcomer Trevor Sands has been hired to adapt the first two books, Hyperion and The Fall of Hyperion, as one feature film with Graham King (The Departed, Blood Diamond, Bangkok Dangerous) producing. Apparently Sands won over the Warner Brothers execs by taking a selective approach to the two novels' multiple points of view in a way that managed to coherently and unconfusingly tell the story.

As was certainly apparent from the start, I'm looking forward to this primarily based on the fact that I'm desperate for some good science fiction movies. The Fifth Element is still one of the only good sci-fi flicks in recent years that had a grand scale and big budget and was still great. I've been waiting anxiously for another good sci-fi flick that I can pop in late on a Wednesday night when I'm in the mood to jump into the future. Dan Simmons' world in Hyperion seems grand enough to fulfill my desires, it will just come down to who they get as a director and whether Sands' script is any good.

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Reader Feedback - 13 Comments »

1

I'm not sure about this : (
The Hyperion series is my all time favorite series of novels! I have a bad feeling they will ruin the stories in the movies. But at this early stage, maybe I should just wait and see what happens. Not that I could do something about it anyway!

Jill on Apr 3, 2008

2

I'm super excited about this - the Hyperion Cantos is my all time fav series… however, I wonder if they will only do the first two? Anyone familiar with the series will know that the Catholic Church comes in for quite a pasting in the next two, basically being in cahoots to destroy the human race! Not sure they will make a movie about those two books!

Still, they can do the first two without having to carry on, so here's hoping they do a great job.

BorisBC on Apr 3, 2008

3

oooo please don't ruin it!!
but hooray for sure. I can't wait.

Melissa on Apr 3, 2008

4

We're in dire need of some new sci-fi movies that involve space battles, alien creatures, universal heroes, everything.
thats why were in need of a serenity sequel. lets get it done hollywood

harrison on Apr 3, 2008

5

How about Peter Jackson to direct?

John on Apr 3, 2008

6

"The Fifth Element…great"?

Never thought I'd see that word used in the same sentence to describe that putrid movie.

Tom on Apr 3, 2008

7

The Hyperion books are so cerebral and literary-based, I'm wondering how any movie director or script writer, no matter how good, can make a film that would even be close enough to bear the same name. I truly hope the movie focuses on the sociological issues the books bring up and not just the fantastic elements like impaling people and Tesla trees. Somehow, I think all the book fans will be massively disappointed…

Rob on Apr 6, 2008

8

There's no way they'll get it right. If they would happen to do the books justice, the Catholic Church would have a bigger fit than they did for Golden Compass.

Besides, the books are so well-written and vivid that movies are hardly necessary. Unless the future movies are reviewed well by fans, I probably won't see them.

alli on Apr 29, 2008

9

Warner Bros. Pleeeeaasse…please dont f*#k this up. The Shrike, the Ousters, Nemes and Co. not to mention the Core, planet hopping, the Grand Concourse…how will you fit all of it in? If you are going to tell the story, do your best to tell the entire story. I can understand rolling "Fall of…" and "Hyperion" into one movie as they are pretty much the same story told from alternate perspectives. The other two, however, would have to each stand alone.( 3 films at least.) The only way I can see this working out is if you get busy cloning an amalgam of Speilberg, Lucas, Coppola and Tarantino. Also…hope your willing to spend big dough because a bummy cast is just as bad as a poor script. That having been said…I'll see you all opening night.

…just heard…the pope has already reserved his advanced copy on NetFlix as a night out at the theatre probably would'nt be in his best interest…subject considered.

Curt on May 2, 2008

10

Was just discussing this very possibility the other day with a friend… and now… reality?
I'm floored, overwhelmingly excited, and incredibly nervous all at once. The Hyperion novels are my favorite pieces of literature that are not by a man named Homer or Dante, and it seems insane and over-ambitious to believe that the story of the first TWO books can be cohesively told in one movie… speaking to my friend, we came to the agreement that the first book alone would make more sense as two movies, so as to properly characterize the pilgrims.

Praise be to the brave, BRAVE director that is trying to make this story work. Here's hoping it does, and fantastically.. and hell, if it doesn't I'll probably love it to death anyways.

Matt on May 9, 2008

11

Wow, awesome and scary. Nice to see from above comments that I am not the only on feeling this way. Curt is right (as most of you), and I would add…If it was possible to do it for Lord of the Rings, it should not be impossible for the 4 Books to be Farcasted into 3. I do not necessary agree with the "alternate perspective" of having Raoul Endymion in the first movie as a pilgrim, that does not seem right. But if Simmons is the one doing it, and that this was required to make things work, who am I to disagree?

I would expect quicktime to be done “a la Matrix” and FORCE stuff mind blowing. I just can’t wait to see how they will do cool stuff like the resuscitation from the raspberry effect (lol), Nemes being lanced from orbit and trapped into molten rock and of course the Tesla Trees and what the Shrike will look like.

For sure the Church folks will freak (good publicity) when the get a look at what is to happen of them but if we would have to watch only the stuff they agree on, theaters would not smell like popcorn but incense.

No matter what, this has to be done right, tech stuff is important but there is more to special effects, the social aspect has to be as important, that is the fabric of Humanity.

Dan Simmons did the best, up to Warners to do the rest. (my message to them)

Any idea on the cast or release date? Curt and I could be in line for a long time.

Jean on May 18, 2008

12

3 things are essential for it to work.


Stay true to the story
Having all the characters stories intact contributes
immensely to the overall feel of the universe and the flow of the story.
Trying to cut and blend too much to fit into one film will ruin it.

Gotta look badass without looking Dated!
The design needs to be unique without being fantastical in the extreme.
Technology should be cool but organic and look functional.
like Blade Runner meets Aliens, but a few centuries down the road … ;)

No Stars!!
I realize the impracticality not to have a "star" attached to a project,
but for me the story is more than enough to propel itself,
and in the first two books it really is an ensemble effort.
Unless it's one of the few truly talented stars … maybe Depp as Hoyt? :) …
I can't think of any I'd cast for the pilgrims or Raul. Better to have new faces.

Hoping for awesome … expecting less

KenD on Jun 6, 2008

13

Yes! Can't wait. Just started re-reading it today and decided to search online and found out about this! Always thought that many of the individual scenes would look great on film, but it would be hard to include the overall work in the frame of the movie.It would have to take quite a bit of paring down to work, but it could still explore all the different concepts. Not only are there all the "Canterbury tales" style digressions, but the back story from "Fall of…" to contend with. Even if done correctly it might be too much for moviegoers not familiar with the book to absorb. It would probably be best to forget all about including Endymon and just focus on the first two. The last two stand apart; keep them to the side for the inevitable Hollywood urge to make a sequel.

I think this project would work best with an ensemble cast.

JakeS on Jun 8, 2008

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