Author John Scalzi’s large scale book ‘Old Man’s War’ has been purchased by Paramount Pictures for director Wolfgang Peterson with writer David Self adapting the work.
Reminscent of Heinlein’s ‘Starship Troopers’ and Haldeman’s ‘The Forever Wars’, ‘Old Man’s War’ follows the exploits of a hero named John Perry who is a 75-year old man. Perry, having lost the love of his life, is amenable to trading his old body for a younger, genetically enhanced body so that he can combine the experience of age with the strength of youth and join an outer space military coalition. The group is sent to protect human colonies in outer space and inductees agree to leave their past lives on earth behind. In turn, they are promised land on distant human colonies if they survive. Injured in battle, he’s rescued by a special-forces officer who seems to be a younger version of his wife. She doesn’t recognize him, but he’s so convinced he has another chance with her that he abandons his unit and risks everything to be with her.
Scalzi, a creative consultant for television’s ‘Stargate: Universe’, is a two-time Hugo Award winner. ‘Old Man’s War’, released in 2005 and also nominated for a Hugo Award, is the first book of a four book series including: ‘The Ghost Brigades’ (2006), ‘The Last Colony’ (2007), and ‘Zoe’s Tale’ (2008).
