Preview:
- Ron Howard is producing and directing the pilot for a ‘Robopocalypse’ TV Series.
- Akiva Goldsman is on board to run the show and write the first episode.
- The series does not yet have a streaming or network home.
Looks like there is life –– well, electricity, at least –– in the ‘Robopocalypse’ project once again.
The Hollywood Reporter brings news that Ron Howard (‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’) and Akiva Goldsman (‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’) are teaming up (again) to develop a fresh, TV-based take on Daniel H. Wilson’s 2011 book about an artificial life uprising.
The project has yet to land a home via streaming outlets or any of the networks, but given the two main filmmakers involved, we’d imagine (no pun intended) it has a shot.
Related Article: Director Ron Howard Talks ‘Eden’ and Working with his All-Star Cast
What’s the story of ‘Robopocalypse’?
Wilson’s novel charts humanity’s war against robots controlled by a powerful AI. Per the logline: “Not far into our future, the dazzling technology that runs our world turns against us. At Zero Hour — the moment the robots attack — the human race is almost annihilated, but as its scattered remnants regroup, humanity for the first time unites in a determined effort to fight back.
These days, it feels less like sci-fi and more like a documentary in the making…
Steven Spielberg was the first to see the movie possibilities, picking it up before the manuscript was even published as a potential pic. But it lingered in development, even with Anne Hathaway and Chris Hemsworth at one point attached to star.
When Spielberg finally threw in the robo-towel, Michael Bay (no stranger to films about marauding machines) picked up the project, but his also stalled.
‘Robopocalypse’: Ron Howard speaks
Here’s Howard’s statement on the new project:
“‘Robopocalypse’ has all the scale and suspense of a major action story, but what drew me to it are the thought-provoking themes and humanity at its center. Daniel created a future that feels both startling and increasingly plausible, with characters who must figure out what connects us when the technology we rely on turns against us. I am also thrilled to work with Akiva again. We have shared some incredibly meaningful creative experiences, and this feels like the right story to bring us back together.”
