Steven Spielberg will be returning to SF for the first time since 2005’s War of the Worlds with an adaptation of Daniel H. Wilson’s novel Robopocalypse (due to be published in 2011). The novel is described as an epic that deals with “the human race’s attempt to survive an apocalyptic robot uprising.”
Certainly that’s no more information that can be gleaned from a cursory glance at the book’s title. But, as an optimist prone to feverish anticipatory enthusiasm, the idea of a Steven Spielberg movie about robots running amok appeals to me greatly (the spiders in Minority Report, for example, were extremely cool).
Writer and robotics engineer Daniel H. Wilson seems to be a good fit for Spielberg’s sensibilities. His Tor.com story “The Nostalgists,” after all, has “nostalgia” right there in the title (not that Steven Spielberg has ever been sentimental . . .) Wilson’s writing is strong and, if “The Nostalgists” is any indication—anyone more familiar with Wilson’s work is more than welcome to confirm or deny—his writing is strongly visual and will lend itself to cinematic adaptation quite nicely.
Spielberg’s big-screen adaptation is due to start shooting in 2012 for a 2013 release, but Wilson’s Robopocalypse is due in June 2011, so whether in anticipation of the movie or as a fun read in its own right, keep an eye out at your local bookseller.
Danny Bowes is a playwright, filmmaker and blogger. He is also a contributor to nytheatre.com and Premiere.com.
