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'Sinister' Director & Writer Reteam to Script 'The Outer Limits' Sci-Fi
by Ethan Anderton
June 20, 2014
Source: Variety
We just got word that Prometheus scribe Jon Spaihts was hired to script Marvel's mystical comic book flick Doctor Strange for director Scott Derrickson. And now the latter filmmaker behind films like Sinister and this summer's Deliver Us from Evil has picked up a different sci-fi film to script as well. Variety reports Derrickson has been hired with Sinister co-writer C. Robert Cargill to pen MGM's adaptation of The Outer Limits, which has been gestating for four years. Previously, Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan (writers of four out of the seven Saw flicks and Project Greenlight's Feast) were hired to write it.
For those who don't remember, "The Outer Limits" was a TV series that originally aired on ABC from 1963 to 1965 as an anthology of stand alone science fiction episodes similar to "Twilight Zone" (with an equally killer intro) but with less whimsy, more action/danger and of course "awe and mystery which reaches from the inner mind to the outer limits." The series was also revived on Showtime from 1995 to 1999, then on Sci-Fi Channel (before it was known as SyFy) from 1999 until its cancellation in 2002.
Derrickson and Cargill's version of the script will focus on Harlan Ellison’s “Demon With a Glass Hand” episode about a man with a computerized hand and no memory of the previous 10 days who discovers he’s from the future and being hunted by aliens. So much like the developing adaptation of The Twilight Zone, the film will focus on a singular story as opposed to collecting shorter stories to make up the feature film. Frankly, I wished one of these adaptations would have gone the anthology route, especially with so many new talented sci-fi filmmakers, but I guess it's just not in the cards.
3 Comments
1
I like the short-story "anthology" idea too - not so much for the concept itself when it comes to films - there's always a "weak link" in the selection which tends to drag down the whole movie - but short stories, especially the classic ones, are what made "The Outer Limits/Twilight Zone/Alfred Hitchcock Presents" such potent masterpieces - a craft that has been entirely lost in today's world.
Bret Wheadon on Jun 20, 2014
2
I thought he was busy developing hyperion from the author dan Simmons? Very strange that the best science fiction novel ever is not coming from the ground. Dan Simmons is neglected by the directors and producers!
Avi on Jun 20, 2014
3
Cargill must still be screaming like a school girl that he gets to write this movie.
DAVIDPD on Jun 20, 2014
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