I was very happy to learn that Ridley Scott is to make his return to science fiction cinema with an adaptation of Joe Haldeman’s novel The Forever War. Scott was supposed to make this film immediately after Alien and then after Blade Runner but rights problems prevented this. Fox 2000 has now acquired the rights to the novel and would like Scott to direct.
The book is about William Mandella, a soldier drafted into a vicious deep space war against alien clones. After a short tour of duty he returns to an Earth he does not recognise. Society has moved on centuries due to the effects of relativity involved in travelling at the speed of light.
This is a great book and I thoroughly recommend it. It is a classic tale of alienation, an exploration of what the future holds for Earth and a look at what motivates soldiers to keep fighting. Haldeman originally wrote this novel as an allegory of the Vietnam War but Scott plans to make his film more contemporary.
In an interview with Variety Scott said, “I first pursued Forever War 25 years ago, and the book has only grown more timely and relevant since. It’s a science-fiction epic, a bit of The Odyssey by way of Blade Runner, built upon a brilliant, disorienting premise.”
Can’t wait.