In a relatively short time since they made their directorial debut on the animated kids’ film “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” in 2009, Phil Lord and Chris Miller have established themselves as two of the most original and risky filmmakers on the planet. Having hit it big with kids films, including “The LEGO Movie,” the duo then went to reboot “21 Jump Street” as a comedy, which was a massive hit and then took that and turned it into a gig on a “Star Wars” film. (But the less we talk about that ‘Solo’ experience, the better.) These are two guys that don’t want to be pigeonholed in any way during their filmmaking experience, which leads us to “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story.”
According to Variety, Lord and Miller are set to direct an adaptation of the new nonfiction book, “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” by author Michael Lewis. As the title implies, the book tells the story of the early days of the recent COVID-19 pandemic from the real-life perspectives of a biochemist, a public health worker, and a federal government employee who work in the White House. These three individuals have to figure out how to confront the pandemic and deal with a woefully ill-prepared US government. In addition to ‘Premonition,’ Lewis is probably best known for his books, “The Big Short,” “The Blindside,” and “Moneyball,” all of which were made into acclaimed films.
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As mentioned, when you look at “The LEGO Movie,” ‘Cloudy,’ and “21 Jump Street,” you might not automatically put Phil Lord and Chris Miller up there with filmmakers that would tackle such a timely and dramatic subject. However, if Adam McKay can switch gears from comedies to “The Big Short,” why can’t Lord and Miller? Clearly, these are two smart filmmakers with a knack for defying expectations at every turn.
But don’t go thinking “The Premonition: A Pandemic Story” is going to arrive in theaters later this year. Before the directing duo gets working on that film, they have to finish up their next feature, the sci-fi film, “Project Hail Mary,” based on the novel by author Andy Weir.