The brand spanking new Skydance Productions is looking very healthy these days, thanks to the success of the Coen Brothers’ Western True Grit, which has gross well over $100 million as well as earning 10 Oscar nominations.
David Ellison‘s company is paired with Paramount (as of 2009) to produce/finance a handful of films a year. Star Blazers,a big-budget adaptation of the 1970s animated science fiction TV series, is now on the agenda, and Skydance has hired Chris McQuarrie (Valkyrie, The Tourist) to pen a draft. [Deadline]
Star Blazers tells the story of the last remaining humans attempting to survive/save Earth out in the far reaches of space from an alien invasion. As you well know, alien invasion films are in short supply these days, so to see this genre getting some love is nice. Er, wait.
Sarcasm aside. McQuarrie’s a capable writer and Ellison has some street cred now. Let’s hope they both make the most of what they’ve got.
Do you know Star Blazers? Is it worth making into a feature?