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Marina Antunes [Celluloid 09.16.10] movie news drama adaptation

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It's been years since Legendary Pictures announced that they had a big screen adaptation of John Milton's epic "Paradise Lost" in the works. The tale of Lucifer's failed rebellion in Heaven and his involvement with Adam and Eve's fall from grace was going to be a big budget spectacle directed by Scott Derrickson of The Exorcism of Emily Rose and The Day the Earth Stood Still remake fame. Since the project was first announced in 2006, little has been heard about the status of the production which lead me to believe that perhaps it had died in pre-production. Turns out I was wrong.

News today via Variety, is that Legendary is still working to have the project made and they've moved on from Derrickson and found themselves a new helmer for the film. The new man in the driver seat? None other than Dark City and The Crow director Alex Proyas. If they were looking to elevate my interest in the project, they've succeeded with that announcement! Admittedly Proyas has had more misses than hits the last few years but I really enjoyed Knowing and thought the film showcased what I’d come to love about Proyas: a dark, occasionally humorous well put together feature that had just a touch of strange; definitely a step up from I, Robot.


It’s not clear when work will start on the film considering that Proyas is currently working on Dracula: Year Zero and is attached to two other projects but I expect it may be a few years still before we see it and hopefully the 3D trend will have passed by then. The last thing I have any interest in seeing is Hell in 3D. From the sounds of it, they’re still working off of the original script adaptation by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi, a script that has since seen a couple of polishes by other writers.

If you’re already groaning at the prospect of a big budget adaptation of this story, don’t despair because producer Martin Poll has been trying to get his own adaptation of the poem made for 40 years and has, apparently, secured the financing to make his version of the film with unknowns cast as Adam and Eve.

A little Paradise Lost for everyone. I’m curious to see both adaptations but as it stands, my money’s on Proyas. Hope he sticks with the project.

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bad dog (1 year ago) Reply

This could be amazing. Hope it's done well.

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Anonymous (1 year ago) Reply

Oh God I can't Wait!!!!!!

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Hitch (1 year ago) Reply

After the disasterous ''The Day the Earth Stood Still'' you'd have to pay me a small fortune to go see one of this guy's movies again


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