Denis Villeneuve‘s 2016 film Arrival was critically acclaimed as a smart, grounded sci-fi film. An adaptation of Ted Chiang‘s short Story Of My Life, the film expanded on its source material in ways the best adaptations should. The production team behind the film must have recognised the success, as they’re teaming up for another sci-fi adaptation.
Arrival producers FilmNation and Shawn Levy‘s 21 Laps will produce an adaptation of Ken Liu‘s short story, The Message. The companies have acquired the rights to the story that first appeared in a 2012 issue of Interzone.
The story follows an astro-archeologist who investigates and preserves the legacy of extinct civilisations on distant planets. When he’s reunited with a teenage daughter he never knew he had, together they explore a mysterious ruin and a cryptic message it contains. The story is certainly sci-fi, but it reportedly hinges on the pair’s discovery of their own relationship, and a secret that will change them forever.
Liu, a Nebula, Hugo and World Fantasy award-winner, has multiple written works in various stages of development right now. Novel The Grace Of Kings and short story collection The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories have already been acquired for adaptation, while his short story Good Hunting was the inspiration for an episode of Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots.
The producers of The Message are currently searching for a director and screenwriter. Both will be key to unlocking Liu’s story and adequately expanding it to feature length. We’ll wait and see who is brought on board. If FilmNation and 21 Laps have a success anything close to Arrival if and when The Message eventually hits cinemas, they’ll be very happy.
#Peace.Love.TheMessage
