Denis Villeneuve’s Next Sci-Fi Epic Makes Dune Look Easy

Denis Villeneuve is busy bringing his grand vision of Dune: Messiah to life on screen, but his next sci-fi epic might be the more difficult project at hand. The film in question was originally supposed to begin production right after Dune: Part Two. However, the latter’s success and acclaim led Villeneuve to prioritize a third Dune film first.

For a long time, Frank Herbert’s Dune novels were considered unfilmable, and some still believe so despite Villeneuve’s recent adaptations. Interestingly, the Canadian filmmaker’s love for sci-fi stories continues, as he is set to direct another classic of the genre. But this time, the challenge might be too big even for someone of Villeneuve’s stature.

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Denis Villeneuve Set To Direct Rendezvous With Rama Adaptation

The Sci-Fi Classic Could Be His Next After Dune: Messiah

A film adaptation of British sci-fi pioneer Arthur C. Clarke’s Rendezvous with Rama is currently in development at Alcon Entertainment, with Denis Villeneuve set to direct. Clarke needs no introduction among serious sci-fi fans, having co-written the screenplay for Stanley Kubrick’s magnum opus 2001: A Space Odyssey. Rendezvous with Rama remains a cornerstone of his body of work. The Hollywood Reporter confirmed Villeneuve’s attachment to the project in December 2021, but since then, he has been occupied with Dune and is likely to remain busy until he completes the third film.

Much like Arthur C. Clarke’s other works, Rendezvous with Rama revolves around space travel and futurism. The story is set in the 2130s when a massive cylindrical alien starship, measuring 31-by-12 mi (50-by-20-km), enters the solar system. A group of space explorers is tasked with intercepting it, leading them to make humanity’s first contact with alien intelligence — and to uncover even greater mysteries. What follows is one of sci-fi’s most technically imaginative works, which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards upon its release in 1973.

Why Rendezvous With Rama Took So Long To Get A Movie

Failed Attempts By Morgan Freeman And David Fincher

Adapting Rendezvous with Rama for the screen has been impossible for quite some time. Many before Denis Villeneuve have attempted to bring the sci-fi novel to life, only to never make it past pre-production. Morgan Freeman was the first to pursue a film adaptation in the early 2000s. Despite financial difficulties and a prolonged development process, the project initially seemed like it might move forward.

For a decade, David Fincher was attached to direct the film. The filmmaker, who began his career with Alien 3, would have made a sci-fi comeback with Rendezvous with Rama, but it never materialized. In October 2008, Fincher confirmed that a script for the film never came together, shutting down all hype surrounding the project. Speaking to FirstShowing.net, the Fight Club filmmaker revealed:

Could Rendezvous With Rama Be Villeneuve’s Biggest Challenge Yet?

Advancements In CGI Make The Adaptation More Feasible

Rendezvous with Rama is difficult to adapt as a film for several reasons. The most obvious issue is the practical execution of things like the 30-mile-long spaceship and the cylindrical seas inside it. Filmmaking technology and CGI are stronger and more accessible than ever, but visualizing this complex design still requires supreme creative prowess. It’s hard to think of anyone other than Denis Villeneuve (or possibly Christopher Nolan) who could demand the resources to pull this off while staying true to the vision in the novel.

One could even argue that the long delay for the Rendezvous with Rama project is a blessing in disguise. Similar to how James Cameron waited for technology to catch up with his vision for Avatar — a film that began development in 1994 but was only released in 2009 — Villeneuve could benefit from advancements in filmmaking. Closing out the Dune trilogy would also give Villeneuve more creative freedom, ensuring that Rendezvous with Rama doesn’t feel like a filler movie between Dune: Part Two and Messiah.

Can Rendezvous With Rama Work As A Movie?

Villeneuve’s Sci-Fi Expertise Is The Project’s Best Hope

But the bigger hurdle when it comes to making a Rendezvous with Rama movie isn’t the spaceship or the technology required — it’s the script. The difficulty lies in crafting a screenplay that stays true to the sci-fi novel while also making the concept more film-friendly. At the risk of sounding reductive, not much actually happens in Rendezvous with Rama. Even if the film turns out to be visually stunning, from a narrative standpoint, it’s essentially about a group of people wandering through an empty tube, trying to unravel its mysteries.

There’s no question that the novel works brilliantly, but translating its story effectively to the screen is a different matter. Not all stories work in both mediums. However, films like Solaris and Sunshine — both set inside space stations or spaceships — have successfully made their character-driven drama engaging while maintaining the mystery and tension of their premise. Rendezvous with Rama may need a similar approach to succeed as a film.

The fact that Denis Villeneuve is directing is the biggest beacon of hope for this project. His expertise in sci-fi, especially with slow-burn films like Blade Runner 2049 and Arrival, makes him the safest bet to execute something long considered unfilmable. Morgan Freeman is still attached to the project as a producer. Apart from the above details, there is no confirmation regarding a potential cast, crew, or release date for Rendezvous with Rama.

Dune

10/10

Release Date

October 22, 2021

Runtime

155 minutes

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