After his work on the recent box-office hit and critically acclaimed Dune, Denis Villeneuve is once again returning to the director's chair for a sci-fi novel adaptation as Alcon Entertainment has announced that he is set to direct the adaptation of Rendezvous With Rama after Alcon acquired the film rights to Arthur C. Clarke's novel.
Originally published in 1973, Rendezvous With Rama takes place in the year 2131 and follows a group of humans sent to intercept a giant cylindrical alien starship that enters the Solar System. The team of explorers attempts to learn the mysteries of the vessel, believing it could be mankind's first contact with intelligent alien life. The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula awards upon its release and is recognized as one of Clarke's defining works alongside the likes of 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Villeneuve has worked regularly with Alcon Entertainment, who produced his 2013 thriller Prisoners starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, and the critically acclaimed epic Blade Runner 2049 starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, which both earned rave reviews with the latter winning multiple Academy Awards, including Best Cinematography and Best Visual Effects. Alcon Entertainment is set to finance the project with co-founders and co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove set to produce. Fellow frequent Alcon collaborator Morgan Freeman is also attached to the project as a producer, with Freeman having previously held the rights to the novel. Freeman Alongside Lori McCreary will also act as producer via their Revelations Entertainment banner.
“This is one of the most intelligent works of fiction in the genre; it poses as many questions as it does answers, and is a work for our time," said Johnson and Kosove in a statement. "It’s perfectly fitted to our friend and collaborator Denis’ brilliant sensibilities, and specifically to his love and passion for science fiction. We are also pleased to work with Morgan and Lori, who have a long-standing passion for this IP.”
Along with Blade Runner 2049, Villeneuve also directed Arrival, which won an Academy Award for Best Sound Editing and saw Villeneuve receive a nomination for Best Director. Villeneuve has also already been announced to be returning to direct Dune: Part 2 and is attached to direct episodes of and executive produce HBO Max spin-off prequel series Dune: The Sisterhood.
The Rendezvous With Rama movie is still in the early stages of production, with no known release date or window yet announced.