1984 - Paul Greengrass Directing George Orwell Adaptation

[Sawyer]

http://deadline.com/2014/11/1984-paul-greengrass-george-orwell-scott-rudin-1201289630/

Paul Greengrass Eyes George Orwell’s ’1984′; ‘Finding Neverland’s James Graham To Write Script
by Mike Fleming Jr

EXCLUSIVE: At a time when surveillance cameras and drones make the Big Brother concept more plausible than ever, Sony Pictures is setting up a new version of George Orwell’s dystopian classic novel 1984. Paul Greengrass is attached to direct, and Scott Rudin is producing with Gina Rosenblum. They’ve set as their writer James Graham, who wrote the book for the Broadway-bound musical Finding Neverland. Rudin and Greengrass teamed on the Oscar-nominated Captain Phillips and are teamed on the MLK drama Memphis as well. Greengrass next is expected to reteam with Matt Damon in their third installment of the Bourne Identity franchise together. Michael De Luca will oversee 1984 for the studio.

Orwell’s cautionary tale previously was turned into a film by writer-director Michael Radford. It starred John Hurt as the man who rewrites history as a job and attempts to rebel by falling in love with a woman, a dangerous endeavor in a repressive society. Greengrass is repped by CAA, Graham by WME.

 

[DarthDorranceBane]

Will they change the title?

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

2084

Actually the book makes the year seem ambiguous. It could still be titled and take place in "1984"

 

[Sawyer]

I hope they keep it. Do a sort of retro-futuristic dystopia thing.

 

[pr0xyt0xin]

I mean, they pretty much have to.

There's no way this movie would sell with any other title.

 

[ThePhantasm]

How strange, I just finished reading 1984 the other day for the second time, and thought "they need to make another movie adaptation of this thing."

 

[Silvermoth]

I love 1984 so I would be eager to see what greengrass will do with it

 

[flickchick85]

I love 1984 and I like Paul Greengrass so I'd say this is off to a darn good start.

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

Wait a few years, and you can make a documentary instead.

 

[Hurm...]

Greengrass is perfect for this.

 

[ThePhantasm]

Wait a few years, and you can make a documentary instead.

Hee hee hee hee haha haha haha *laughs nervously*

Now we don't all think that way do we, guys? No guilt by association here?

I love Big Brother

 

[Pink Ranger]

I think the 1984 version stands by its own. I dread what "modern adaptations" they would enact to try to make this story relevant to modern times. The fact that it was in a resource-starved communist society was central to the setting of the story; trying to make it more like our world would lessen the impact.

 

[Airwings]

Sign Matt Damon for the lead and I will be the first in line to see this potential masterpiece!!!!

 

[Rowsdower!]

Yeah, Damon could play a good Winston.


Also, Jeffrey Dean Morgan for Big Brother, lol.

 

[Octoberist]

I think the 1984 version stands by its own. I dread what "modern adaptations" they would enact to try to make this story relevant to modern times. The fact that it was in a resource-starved communist society was central to the setting of the story; trying to make it more like our world would lessen the impact.

Kinda like how The Giver adaptation panders to today's YA crowd; whereas I remembered the book (which is a YA novel to be fair) had a more….North Korean, 1984 vibe. I imaged concrete slabs in a colorless world..not sleek houses with floating robot cameras and touchscreen computers.

 

[flickchick85]

^^^I really don't think we're in danger of that kind of "modern" interpretation from Greengrass.

 

[Doctor Jones]

The cameras watching people will be shaky.

Yes. I thought of that all by myself.

 

[Deserana]

I was just going to comment on that. Shaky cam for Greengrass is like Lens flares for Abrams.

However, I really do hope for more steady shots. Especially in an environment that is ripe for lovely cinematography. I didn't mind it in Captain Phillips but I really did not like it in Ultimatum. I've only seen it once because of it and I LOVED the other two Bourne films.

 

[Schlosser85]

It'd be cool if John Hurt had a part.

 

[EssayM]

On the one hand, 1984's impact is kind of tied to the Communist era and would be hard to translate to modern audiences without being either dated or insanely polarizing.

On the other hand, if anyone can accomplish that, these guys are excellent candidates for it.

So...I guess I'm on board with this.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I just see this remake as patently unnecessary on every possible level. The Michael Radford film still stands to this day: the limited technology of film speaks to the oppression of scarcity in the novel, the time the film was released (also in 1984) was still in the heart of the Cold War, and the spectre of the USSR and pre-capitalist China was still fresh in people's minds. (I feel the design of the film seems more like a combination of England and China than England and the USSR). The Radford film still has historical and cultural significance that I do not see a modern version being able to equal.

 

[gwynplaine]

Wait a few years, and you can make a documentary instead.

Yeah, same with Soylent Green

 

[Goshdarn Batman]

Yeah, same with Soylent Green

I wouldn't be surprised.

McDonald's new manburger; Crispy McGuts, now with 95% human.

 

[DarthDorranceBane]

I like Ridley Scott's 1984.