Denis Villeneuve To Direct Adaptation of Arthur C. Clarke’s Sci-Fi Novel ‘Rendezvous With Rama’

Remember the name “Rendezvous With Rama,” even if you’re not a huge sci-fi head that knows this classic novel from famous science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke (he co-wrote the screenplay for Stanley Kubrick‘s “2001: A Space Odyssey“)? Well, it should be for film heads as it was once a project David Fincher was trying to make eons ago with Morgan Freeman. Now, it’s coming back with another sci-fi master attached who has the clout to make such a challenging project come to life: French Canadian filmmaker Denis Villeneuve who is coming off the sci-fi hit, “Dune” which has already been greenlit for a sequel.

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The Hollywood Reporter says that Villeneuve has attached himself to the project with Freeman still on board as a producer. Alcon Entertainment is behind, and they already worked with Villeneuve on “Blade Runner 2049,” so clearly, a working relationship has been established.

Set in the 2130s, the story involves a 50-by-20-kilometer cylindrical alien starship that enters the Solar System. The story is told from the point of view of a group of human explorers who intercept the ship in an attempt to unlock its mysteries. The novel won both the Hugo and Nebula awards upon its release in 1973 and is regarded as one of the cornerstones in Clarke’s bibliography.

“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 Alcon co-CEOs Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove. “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.” Alcon will finance the project.

Here’s an Amazon synopsis:

At first, only a few things are known about the celestial object that astronomers dub Rama. It is huge, weighing more than ten trillion tons. And it is hurtling through the solar system at inconceivable speed. Then a space probe confirms the unthinkable: Rama is no natural object. It is incredible, an interstellar spacecraft. Space explorers and planet-bound scientists alike prepare for mankind’s first encounter with alien intelligence. It will kindle their wildest dreams . . . and fan their darkest fears. For no one knows who the Ramans are or why they have come. And now the moment of rendezvous awaits—just behind a Raman airlock door.

‘Rama’ more in the vein of ‘2001,’ the cerebral and metaphysical, would be a huge, ambitious project. Villeneuve, however, has to deal with “Dune: Part Two” first, which shoots next summer and then arrives in theaters in October 2023. Villeneuve’s Dune is approaching the $400 million mark at the global pandemic box office.