According to Deadline, director Michel Gondry is set to adapt and direct a film version of author Philip K. Dick’s legendary book, ‘Ubik’.
Time Magazine called ‘Ubik’ one of the 100 greatest novels of all time. The story is a metaphysical comedy of death and salvation, revolving around dead characters who give business advice, plan their next incarnation, and risk dying once again.
Gondry is best known for his music video work with musicians such as Bjork, Massive Attack and The Chemical Brothers as well as quirky science fiction and fantasy films such as ‘The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind’ and ‘The Science of Sleep’. Most recently he directed the big budget action comedy ‘The Green Hornet’.
Since author Dick’s death in 1982, his novels and short stories have been optioned and made into many movies, 2 TV series and at least one play (‘Flow My Tears, the Policeman Said’). They include:
– ‘Blade Runner’ (1982) based on ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ and directed by Ridley Scott.
– ‘Total Recall’ (1990) based on the short story ‘We Can Remember It For You Wholesale’ and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
– ‘Screamers (1995) based on the short story ‘Second Variety’ and starring Peter Weller.
– ‘Total Recall: The Series (1999) based on the short story ‘We Can Remember It For You Wholesale’.
– ‘Imposter’ (2001) based on the short story ‘The Imposter’ and starring Gary Sinise.
– ‘Minority Report’ (2002) based on a short story, starring Tom Cruise and directed by Steven Spielberg.
– ‘Paycheck’ (2003) based on a short story, starring Ben Affleck and directed by John Woo.
– ‘A Scanner Darkly’ (2006) based on a novel and starring Keany Reeves and Robert Downey Jr.
– ‘Next’ (2007) based on the short story ‘The Golden Man’ and starring Nicolas Cage and Julianne Moore.
– ‘Radio Free Albemuth’ (2010) based on the novel and currently in production as an indie film.
– ‘The Adjustment Bureau’ (2011) based on the short story ‘The Adjustment Team’, starring Matt Damon and set to be released on March 4th.
– ‘The Man in the High Castle’ (2011) based on the novel and set to be a television series.
– ‘Total Recall’ (2012) based on the short story and currently in production for a new movie version starring Colin Farrell.