Joe Haldeman's 'The Forever War' coming to the big screen?

[pokerfan]

:bounce:

It's a heart=breaking novel. I hope they don't screw it up.

Author Joe Haldeman has revealed on his live journal page that Blade Runner scribe David Peoples has already turned in a fourth draft of Ridley Scott’s big screen adaptation of Haldeman’s 1974 novel The Forever War.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2010/08/04/blade-runner-screenwriter-working-on-ridley-scotts-forever-war/#ixzz0vgBoqQ00

The novel is widely perceived to be a portrayal of the author's military service during the Vietnam War, and has been called an account of his war experiences written through a 'space opera' filter.

Importantly, if one accepts this reading of the book, the alienation experienced by the soldiers on returning to Earth – here caused by the time dilation effect – becomes a clear metaphor for the reception given to US troops returning to America from Vietnam. He also subverts typical space opera clichés (such as the heroic soldier influencing battles through individual acts) and "demonstrates how absurd many of the old clichés look to someone who had seen real combat duty."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Forever_War

[petronius]

1. I'm not optimistic - the things that make the book great mostly happen

inside the characters and don't lend themselves to big-screen spectacle. On the other hand, here are too many things in there (tangential to the story) that could provide the flash and dazzle that pulls in the big audiences. But on the bright side, it's hardly possible that they could butcher it as badly as Starship Troopers was, and Scott is at least somewhat trustworthy...

[RandomThoughts]

2. Interesting list of screen play credits.

I wonder often what combination of Director, Writer, Screen Play Writers, Producers, or other groups are add in the ideas in many films.

Each of those films have many ideas in them.

That story sounds like a really interesting topic. I look forward to that film, hope it is a good one.

[Orsino]

3. Hope it's treated better than Starship Troopers...

...even if Forever War is the evil twin.

edit: God damn it. Fox. Oh, well.

[Prisoner_Number_Six]

4. Great book. Great story. Great read.

The movie WILL suck.

[pokerfan]

8. It may or may not

Haldeman seems okay with the treatment so far (same writer as Blade Runner) and it will be directed Ridley Scott (Alien and Blade Runner). There could be worse people working on it. <cough> Paul Verhoeven.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

5. Ridley Scott may be able to pull it off.........

unlike the prospect of Roland Emmerich doing a smash-em-up version of the Foundation saga.

[MicaelS]

6. As much as I love The Forever War...

I would much rather see Armor, or Old Man's War made instead.

And the sequel Forever Free, sucked donkey balls. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forever_Free_%28novel%29

But, Marygay's story told in the short story, A Separate War, was pretty damn good.

http://www.amazon.com/Separate-War-Other-Stories/dp/0441014070

[Dr. Strange]

7. I just read A Separate War last week.

It was good. And while Forever Free was an interesting idea, I saw no reason to use the characters from The Forever War. It really wasn't a sequel.