Cloud Atlas

[Electrix]

​

Director: Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run)
Producers: The Wachowskis

The story presents six narratives that evoke an array of genres, from Melvillean high-seas drama to California noir and dystopian fantasy. There is a naive clerk on a nineteenth-century Polynesian voyage: and aspiring composer who insinuates himself to the home of a syphilitic genius: a journalist investigating a nuclear plant: a publisher with a dangerous best-seller on his hands: and a cloned human being created for slave labour. These five stories are bisected and arranged around a sixth, the oral history of a post-apocalyptic island, which forms the heart of the story.

According to The Playlist offers have been sent out to Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, James McAvoy, Ian McKellen, and Natalie Portman, with an early 2011 start date set.

Breakdown of characters:

The Pacific Journal of Adam Ewing

Pacific Ocean, circa 1850. Adam Ewing, an American notary's account of a voyage home from the remote Chatham Islands, east of New Zealand. The next character discovers this story as a diary on his patron's bookshelf.

Letters from Zedelghem

Zedelgem, Belgium, 1931. Robert Frobisher, a penniless young English musician, finds work as an amanuensis to a composer living in Belgium. This story is saved in the form of letters to his friend (and implied lover) Rufus Sixsmith, which the next character discovers after meeting Sixsmith.

Half-Lives: The First Luisa Rey Mystery.

Buenas Yerbas, California, 1975. Luisa Rey, a journalist, investigates reports of corruption and murder at a nuclear power plant. The next character is sent this story in the mail, in the form of a manuscript for a novel.

The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish

United Kingdom, early 21st century. Timothy Cavendish, a vanity press publisher, flees the brothers of his gangster client. He gets confined against his will in a nursing home from which he cannot escape. The next character watches a movie dramatisation of this story.

An Orison of Sonmi~451

Nea So Copros (Korea), dystopian near future. Sonmi~451, a genetically-engineered fabricant (clone) server at Papa Song's diner (a stand-in for MacDonald's), is interviewed before her execution after she rebels against the society that created and exploited her kind. The next character watches Sonmi's story projected holographically in an "orison," a futuristic recording device.

Sloosha's Crossin' an' Ev'rythin' After

Hawaii, post-apocalyptic distant future. Zach'ry, a tribesman living a primitive life after most of humanity dies during "the Fall," is visited by Meronym, a member of the last remnants of technologically-advanced civilization. This story is told when the protagonist is an old man, to seemingly random strangers around a camp-fire.

 

[zyzy]

I love this book very much but I also think it's almost unfilmable since the book has six storys and an unusual structure. Hope Tom Tykwer won't ruin it.
I guess in the movie James McAvoy is going to play Robert Frobisher, Natalie Portman will play Luisa Rey and Ian McKellen will play Timothy Cavendish but I could be wrong.

 

[Doctor Jones]

Holy crap, this sounds great. There's a book?

 

[Electrix]

Apparently Hanks, McAvoy, Berry and Portman are all attached now. McKellen is still unknown as he will no doubt he seeing how things play out with The Hobbit.

http://theplaylist.blogspot.com/2010/08/tom-hanks-james-mcavoy-natalie-portman.html

Director Tom Tykwer will be looking to shop it to studios now that those names are attached. It shouldn't have too much of a problem.

 

[darkseid26]

Wow, I'm in on this.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Halle Berry Confirms Cloud Atlas Involvement

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

The Wachowskis and Tom Tyker Co-Directing Cloud Atlas

The plot sounds complex with the different genres and narratives but should be interesting how they handle it.

 

[Octoberist]

Has anyone read the book? Is it any good?

 

[GhostPoet]

Sounds really good! Very unique for film.

 

[xmangambit]

WHOA! The last story about the end of civilization sounds so sick! I hope it has some futuristic style Syd Mead concept stuff, to make it magical.

I need to get this book

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

I am currently reading the book. Should be interesting to see how the book translate to the silver screen.

 

[Octoberist]

So any news on this?

 

[Electrix]

IMDB says that DreamWorks and Michael Bay's production team are on-board, but nothing has been officially announced yet.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

The lastest news for Cloud Atlas was from January this year and it has been quiet ever since.
Berry said last year that the movie is expecting to start shooting this summer. So hopefully we get update for the movie soon.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

I just read finished the book. I highly recommend it but I have no idea how they're gonna make a movie out of this.

I'm not saying it's unfilmable but I can't really imagine it as a movie. With that said I can't wait to see how they gonna pull this off.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Hugo Weaving joining 'Cloud Atlas'?

According to a tweet from book publisher Hachette Australia:

Actor Hugo Weaving has said he is working on the film adaption of David Mitchell’s Cloud Atlas with the makers of The Matrix!

Source

 

[Octoberist]

so is he gonna be in The Hobbit or what?

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

I was under impression that Hugo is still in negotiations but I could be wrong.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Tom Hanks Joins 'Cloud Atlas'; The Wachowskis and Tykwer to Co-Write and Co-Direct

Tom Hanks has become officially attached to star in Cloud Atlas, an adaptation of the David Mitchell novel that consists of six interconnected stories. The Matrix helmers Andy and Lana Wachowski and Run Lola Run helmer Tom Tykwer have signed on to write and co-direct the film.

Shooting on the film will begin in September.

Source

I'm so glad that the production is moving forward. It's going to be interesting with both The Wachowskis and Tyker to write and direct this feature .

With Hanks now officially attached to this, I hope we get confirmation soon from Portman, McAvoy, Berry, McKellan and Weaving.

 

[Crockett]

The movie is actually moving forward? Excellent.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Hugo Weaving & Ben Whishaw Join 'Cloud Atlas'

Cannes buyers are buzzing about Ben Whishaw and Hugo Weaving taking on major roles in Cloud Atlas, the adaptation of the epic David Mitchell novel from filmmakers Andy and Lana Wachowski and Tom Tykwer. Halle Berry, who floated her possible participation late last year, has also firmed up her role.

Source

What's interesting is that the actors will be playing multiple roles on the project, so the actors could show their acting range. The article suggested that Halle Berry who was originally linked to the project is , more or less, also locked in to the project.

I'm still hoping that McKellen and Portman, who was also linked to the project at the same time as Berry and Hanks, can still do this project but my hopes are dwindling by each passing time.

 

[Electrix]

I doubt McKellen and Portman will be in it. Portman is pregnant and McKellen is filming The Hobbit.

 

[Crockett]

I can't wait to see who will be playing Timothy, who is my favorite character in the novel.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

I doubt McKellen and Portman will be in it. Portman is pregnant and McKellen is filming The Hobbit.

Yeah, I know that. I was just hoping that they could find some solution. To me, McKellen is the perfect Cavendish and Portman is the perfect Sonmi~451.

 

[Sgt.Pepper]

Susan Sarandon & Jim Broadbent Also Join 'Cloud Atlas'

CANNES – Famously publicity-shy directors Andy and Lana Wachowski flew into to Cannes Thursday to present, with German helmer Tom Tykwer, the cast list of their trio’s upcoming mega-project Cloud Atlas, to buyers and distributors.

Susan Sarandon and Jim Broadbent have joined the Cloud cast, which also includes Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, Hugo Weaving and Ben Whishaw.

Source

The cast is shaping up nicely. Since McKellen is busy with The Hobbit, I'm guessing that Broadbent took his spot as Cavendish or maybe as Vyvyan Ayrs; but since most of the actors will be playing multiple roles, it's possible that he may play both characters. I'm not sure who Sarandon might play but I'm thinking as Nurse Noakes.

Anyway, I'm really excited to see this.