'The Incal': Taika Waititi To Direct A Film Adaptation Of Alejandro Jodorowsky's Graphic Novel

Did you ever think you’d live in a world where the names “Dune,” Alejandro Jodorowsky, and Taika Waititi all fit in the same sentence? Well, with the announcement of a film adaptation of “The Incal,” it’s happening.

According to publisher Humanoids, Taika Waititi is set to direct a film adaptation of the epic sci-fi graphic novel, “The Incal.” For those unaware, “The Incal” takes place in a dystopian sci-fi city and follows the story of private investigator John Difool, as he navigates a story that includes powerful crystals, aliens, and conspiracies. But for film fans, the real selling point is how this all ties back to Alejandro Jodorowsky and his original attempt to make “Dune.”

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As seen in the announcement video for “The Incal,” Jodorowsky explained how, after working with the famous artist Jean Giraud, aka Moebius, on “Dune,” the duo decided to take their creative powers and instead focus on a new graphic novel series, “The Incal.” The result is a graphic novel series that has spanned decades and is regarded as one of the best sci-fi comic book series to ever be created. And since Jodorowsky admits he’s not able to direct the film himself due to his age, he hand-selected Taika Waititi to bring it to life. Waititi is set to work with Jemaine Clement and Peter Warren on the script.

“The films and graphic novels of Alejandro Jodorowsky have influenced me and so many others for so long,” said Waititi. “I was stunned to be given the opportunity to bring his iconic characters to life and I am grateful to Alejandro, Fabrice and everyone at Humanoids for trusting me to do so.”

Jodorowsky added, “When Humanoids’ CEO Fabrice Giger introduced me to Taika Waititi’s work, it became obvious to me that he was the one. I fully trust Taika’s creativity to give ‘The Incal’ a stunning take, intimate and at the same time of cosmic proportions.”

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The development of “The Incal” is still in the early stages. There’s no distributor or streaming service attached, at this point. Humanoids expects to have Waititi’s first draft of the script by the end of the year. 

It’s also unclear how “The Incal” fits in the busy schedule of Waititi. The filmmaker has already finished filming “Next Goal Wins,” his soccer comedy film. He’s currently working on Marvel Studios’ “Thor: Love and Thunder.” And somewhere down the line, he’s expected to direct a new “Star Wars” film. Perhaps, “The Incal” can slide in between ‘Thor 4’ and “Star Wars?” We’ll have to wait and see.

You can watch the announcement video of “The Incal” below: