More on JMS’ Forbidden Planet Remake

J. Michael Straczynski doing anything involving science fiction is always worth taking note of in my book. His latest stab, as we reported previously, is writing a screenplay for a remake of the sci-fi classic “Forbidden Planet”. Now as it turns out, JMS might not be really writing a remake, but instead more of a “continuation” of the original story. At least, that’s what Harry et al over at Aint-it-Cool-News seems to have gathered. Read more for their take on what the remake/maybe-not-remake has in store.

Excerpts from the AICN article:

According to Harry, Straczynski’s screenplay will essentially act as if Altair 4 didn’t blow up. (HARRY HERE: Actually, I don’t know that – that is what they’re doing, only that my source said it would be less of a remake and more of a continuation. What I told Beaks was, so I “guess” that’d be if they act like the planet didn’t blow up in the original film. Sorry for the confusion) We don’t have much in the way of story details, but we do know that Straczynski was not shy about paying homage to FORBIDDEN PLANET in BABYLON 5, so it’s not a surprise that he would want to honor the integrity of Wilcox’s visionary film.

As for the look of the film, it will apparently be an “enormous, giant, retro sci-fi movie”; in other words, they’re going to implement the design of the original rather than attempt something modern. As Harry said, nothing “sleek or chromy” like Fox would do. (HARRY HERE: In fact my source says that Robby The Robot as we know him, will be implemented in the film.)

So there you have it. Not really a modern retelling, or “re-imagining”, but more of a companion piece to the original.

Below: “So did ya hear? It’s not a remake after all, so that means we’ll be back! Sha-weet!”