With a new Star Trek movie out this summer, and another Star Wars film in the works, it only marks one thing for film studios: science fiction is making a huge comeback. Perhaps the best evidence we see of this is that 20tH Century Fox has decided to adapt CS Lewis’ Space Trilogy as a TV mini-series.
Reynold Malcolm, our source said, “With HBO’s Game of Thrones doing amazing, and Stephen King’s Under The Dome slated to debut on CBS this summer, studios are looking to create more big-budget mini-series based on great works of fiction. CS Lewis’s Space Trilogy fills this void. Plus it can allow them to do That Hideous Strength in a much easier fashion.”
If that isn’t enough, they’ve already tapped director Michael Apted to take the chair for the episodes based on Out of the Silent Planet, and they have cast Ewan McGregor ( Star Wars Episode I-III ) as Professor Elwin Ransom, while Jude Law ( A.I., Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows) is slated to play Professor Edward Rolles Weston and Tom Hiddleston (Marvel’s The Avengers) as Mr. Dick Devine. Benedict Cumberbatch ( Sherlock, The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug, and Star Trek Into Darkness) has been cast as the voice of the Sorn, while Christopher Plummer rounds off the cast as the voice of Oyarsa.
There will also fourth traveler will be added to the story, a female, who will serve as a love interest for Professor Ransom. Her actrss will be announced at a later date. The only thing known at this point is that she will be played by Australian actress Rose Byrne (Bridesmaids, X-Men:First Class).
The Sorns, and other creatures that inhabit Malacandra will be brought to life thanks to the artisans at Weta Digital and the Jim henson Creature Shop. The space ship is slated to use a lost design by the late Ralph MacQuarrie ( the concept artist for Close Encounters of the Third Kind and the original Star Wars trilogy) with special visiual effects being directed by Douglas Trumbull (Close Encounters of the Third Kind, 2001: A Space Odyssey, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture).
It may seems strange to some to see such high profile actors and even this much talent behind the scenes in a TV mini-series. However times are changing and working on a television show no longer carries the same stigma, especially in a TV mini-series. With the success of Game of Thrones, studios know that they have to put in the same effort into a mini-series that they do in a feature film.
There is some speculation as to how this will work with Tom and Benedict’s already busy schedules. However one source has confirmed that they will work closely with both actors to accommodate their other obligations.
No word yet on whether or not this will be aired on Fox as a midseason replacement or if it will be part of Hallmark’s Walden Family Theater. Stay tuned for more news on this exciting development.
Read more about this project here!
Update: Sources now say that Ransom’s love interest will be named…
APRIL FOOLS!