Scott Derrickson just can’t get away from sci-fi. Or at least, not for the moment. After helming the less-than-friendly received remake of “The Day the Earth Stood Still” with Keanu Reeves, Derrickson plans to give sci-fi another chance with a movie based on the “Hyperion” books by Dan Simmons. The plan for Warner Bros. and GK Films is to do one movie with elements of both the “Hyperion” books, titled “Hyperion” and “The Fall of Hyperion”. Obviously it doesn’t sound like all that good of an idea to condense two novels into one, but whatever.
Variety has more:
Story is set in the distant future, as a space war threatens Hyperion, a planet known for the Time Tombs — large artifacts that can move through time and are guarded by a gruesome monster called the Shrike.
Trevor Sands (2002’s “Inside”) wrote the script.
More about the first novel:
On the world called Hyperion, beyond the law of the Hegemony of Man, there waits the creature called the Shrike. There are those who worship it. There are those who fear it. And there are those who have vowed to destroy it. In the Valley of the Time Tombs, where huge, brooding structures move backward through time, the Shrike waits for them all. On the eve of Armageddon, with the entire galaxy at war, seven pilgrims set forth on a final voyage to Hyperion seeking the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope–and a terrible secret. And one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.
The second novel:
In the stunning continuation of the epic adventure begun in Hyperion, Simmons returns us to a far future resplendent with drama and invention. On the world of Hyperion, the mysterious Time Tombs are opening. And the secrets they contain mean that nothing — nothing anywhere in the universe — will ever be the same.
Sounds epic. Let’s hope with more original material Derrickson (pictured above right) will be able to do better than the mediocre “The Day the Earth Stood Still” remake.
I like long walks on the beach, puppies, and Kevin Costner post-apocalyptic movies. You can reach me at nix (at) scificool.com. Also, check out my other ridiculously ill-informed opinions and reviews over at 
This will be bad. Very bad. Hyperion and The Fall Of Hyperion into just ONE movie is bad.
Imagine the scope Lord of the Rings, put it into space and squeeze it into one film.
While I agree that consolidating the greatest piece of speculative literature created in the past 40 years into one motion picture will most likely end in cinematic failure(vis-a-vis: Dune – remember Dino Delaurentis?)I will say that the cultural exposure of a national movie release in and of itself will give awareness to a new generation of Dan Simmons/Hyperion disciples. Legions of new literary fans will be created, and the possibility of a re-formulated version of the movie or even a Sci-Fi Channel-Type mini-series(just like they did with Herbert’s work)would be realized in the near future. Whoever would take up the endeavor would need to find a director who is a fan of Simmmon’s work. In any case, whether this movie is a hit or flop isn’t as important as the exposure it will bring to new readers.
Hyperion zaga is really a master piece. A movie? I´m really not sure. Meanwhile the fans can remember the special universe of Hyperion with exters flying in the space. . . With love from Mexico.
I dearly love the Hyperion novels and whilst admit that filming them (particularly the first novel) probably will not work, I have ever since wanted to see someone try to realise the Shrike. The Shrike always had great potential for film. However, this is the guy who just managed to turn Gort (yes, Gort!) into dull CGI rubbish (which is tricky).
Would rather they were just adapting the Remembering Siri section though. Now that would be a movie.