Alden Ehrenreich Lands The Lead In 'Brave New World', Now Headed To The NBCU Streaming Service

Alden Ehrenreich may not get another go-around as Han Solo, but he isn’t leaving science fiction behind.  He is set to lead the cast of the series ‘Brave New World’, based on the 1932 novel by Aldous Huxley.  Huxley’s book depicts a utopian society that has achieved stability thanks to the drug Soma, and by outlawing monogamy, family, religion, privacy, money, and history.  Instead, its inhabitants indulge in instant gratification and rampant promiscuity.

 

RELATED: Chris Miller And Phil Lord Share How Alden Ehrenreich Ended Up As Han Solo

 

Ehrenreich will portray John the Savage.  Here is the show’s logline:

As citizens of New London, Bernard Marx and Lenina Crowne have only ever known a rigid social order, a perfect pharmaceutical called Soma, and a culture of instant gratification and ubiquitous sex. Curious to explore life beyond the strictures of their society, the two New Worlders embark on a vacation to the Savage Lands, where they become embroiled in a harrowing and violent rebellion. Bernard and Lenina are rescued by John the Savage, who escapes with them back to New London. John’s arrival in the New World soon threatens to disrupt its utopian harmony, leaving Bernard and Lenina to grapple with the repercussions. The three become entwined in a fraught relationship that awakens them to the dangers of their own conditioning.

Not only is ‘Brave New World’ considered one of the most important science fiction novels of all time, but it is also generally considered one of the best novels of any kind.  Huxley’s book evolved out of an attempt to parody the utopian works of his contemporary H.G. Wells (who appears as a character in ‘Brave New World’), and grew out of the depression in the UK and the US.  It was further fueled by a visit to the US, during which Huxley was taken aback by the consumerism, promiscuity and emerging youth culture.

A film adaptation was planned by Ridley Scott, with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star, but it went nowhere.  This TV adaptation has also been in the works for some time, first intended for Syfy.  It was ordered straight-to-series by USA just this past February.  But now it has been shifted to headline the upcoming streaming service (another one?!?!) NBCU, due to launch in 2020.

‘Brave New World’ will be written by David Wiener, Grant Morrison, and Brian Taylor.  Weiner will serve as showrunner and executive producer along with Morrison, Amblin TV’s Darryl Frank, and Justin Falvey.  (Taylor will executive produce the first episode only.)  Owen Harris, helmer of the acclaimed ‘Black Mirror’ episode “San Junipero,” is attached to direct the pilot.

This will mark Ehrenreich’s first regular TV work.  His last film was, of course, ‘Solo: A Star Wars Story’.

If you are familiar with the book, what do you think of Ehrenreich’s casting?