Deadline reports that Paramount Pictures has an H.G. Wells project in development. But what it is, exactly, no one seems to know. It’s not precisely an adaptation of a Wells book or story. It’s not… well, I’ll let them explain: “We hear that it will be a very loose adaptation stemming from the ‘mythology’ that surrounds one of the writer’s most iconic titles.”
Who wants to take a guess as to which one?
What is known is that Wes Ball’s OddBall Entertainment is developing the project, and Laura Gillis is writing the script (based on a previous version by Maze Runner and Pacific Rim: Uprising co-writer T.S. Nowlin). The Maze Runner connection runs deeper, though: Wes Ball directed all three movies in that YA adaptation franchise.
H.G. Wells’ work has been adapted many, many times, from Steven Spielberg’s War of the Worlds to the Marlon Brando-starring The Island of Doctor Moreau to the BBC’s War of the Worlds (above). The most likely candidates for this mysterious film are probably War, Island, or The Time Machine. (The Invisible Man seems less likely given the reference to “mythology.”) Could be a story about The Time Machine‘s Morlocks and Eloi; could be about the Martians from War of the Worlds; could be any number of things, really. Wells is considered one of the fathers of science fiction for a lot of reasons; Leah Schnelbach has a succinct explainer on a bunch of them.
Whatever the film is adapting, it’s in “early development,” so it’ll be a bit before we see more details!
Buy the Book
The Way Spring Arrives and Other Stories
