‘All You Need is Kill’ Screenwriter Keeps Ridley Scott’s ‘The Forever War’ Adaptation Alive
Posted on Tuesday, November 27th, 2012 by Russ Fischer
One of the many projects that Ridley Scott has had in development is based on Joe Haldeman‘s novel The Forever War.
This one has been in the works for a while, with David Webb Peoples (Blade Runner, Unforgiven, 12 Monkeys) writing a few drafts. But now Peoples has been supplanted by Dante Harper. This might actually be a good thing. Why? Because the book revolves around a soldier who is fighting a war against a distant alien race . The enemies are so far away, that soldiers sent out to fight may spend a year in transit and battle, but, due to the mechanics of faster than light travel, return home to an Earth that has aged decades. The time-displaced soldier re-enlists, and ends up spending centuries of Earth time at war in space.
It’s a great concept, and here’s where Harper comes in: he wrote the prime draft of All You Need is Kill, in which a soldier relives the same day of battle many times, and gradually improves his skills as he does so, like a video game player going through the same level over and over. The similarity is pretty evident, I think, and is likely part of the reason Harper is now penning a new draft. Read More »
