Update: Forbidden Planet Remake is a Sequel?
So this got around while I was dealing with some personal “family” things and my trusted staff missed it - so I am picking up the slack for all you avid readers.
Well recently over last week word of the new version surfaced on the internet over at AintItCool writer claiming that:
“We have additional info that indicates this is not so much a “remake” as a complementary piece to the Fred M. Wilcox/Cyril Hume classic.”
This news came as a surprise to me as I thought the Altair blew up in the end. Indeed a sequel would be interesting but just not possible in way that would honor the original nor make sense to a modern audience. so in a business and storytelling sense I was left dumbfounded reading this.
However, my belaboring was met with Straczynski himself debunking this rumor of all rumors, saying:
“That report is totally incorrect. It’s not going to be retro, and it’s not going to be a continuation. When Altair 4 blows up, it blows up. I have, however, found a way to honor the original movie without in any way besmirching it in order to do this iteration. Once folks find out what we’re actually going to do, I think they’ll be most pleased. ‘Forbidden Planet’ remains one of my favorite films of all time, and I wouldn’t even think about doing this project if I didn’t think there was a way to do it that would not in any way diminish the original…which is why this is the the first development in years to actually get to the script stage. Everybody involved is very excited by the approach.”
Well all I have to say is thank god for smart people and for those who respect classics. There is usually a line that is hard not to cross when remaking classic films and at least JMS is treading lightly and doing his best, at least for now.
