12/20/2008

Jeffrey Harris

The 1950s sci-fi classic might be the next feature for director James Cameron.

According to IESB, James Cameron's next feature he will be directing could be a remake of the 1956 science fiction movie, *Forbidden Planet*. J. Michael Stracynski, the screenwriter of this year's *Changeling*, has already written a script from which Cameron would possibly work. Cameron's had a long-stemming interest in reinventing *Forbidden Planet* since 1998.  
  
The original movie, released in 1956, directed by Fred Wilcox, was a re-interpretation of William Shakespeare's *The Tempest*, where a crew of an Earth spacecraft land on the planet, Altair IV, after an expedition team has gone missing. All that remains of the expedition is a doctor, his daughter, and their loyal robot (classic sci-fi robot icon, Robby). The crew is soon targeted by a mysterious, alien menace as love blooms between the Earth ship's captain (played by Leslie Nielson) and the doctor's daughter.  
  
Screenwriter Stracynski is very excited about the movie and is a huge fan of the original film. Stracynski posted this on his official message boards: "Once folks find out what we're actually going to do, I think they'll be most pleased. Forbidden Planet remains one of my favorite films of all time, and I wouldn't even think about doing this project if I didn't think there was a way to do it that would not in any way diminish the original . . . which is why this is the first development in years to actually get to the script stage. Everybody involved is very excited by the approach."  
  
James Cameron's next movie, *Avatar*, is set for a December 18, 2009 release. *Avatar* will be Cameron's first narrative feature film since *Titanic*, released in 1997, winning 11 Academy Awards including Best Picture in 1998.