Daniel H. Wilson’s 2011 science fiction novel Robopocalypse is set to be transformed into a television series, with Ron Howard attached to direct the pilot episode. Akiva Goldsman will write the series and will also serve as the showrunner. This project is a collaboration between Imagine Entertainment and Weed Road.
The adaptation comes after many years of developmental challenges. Originally, Steven Spielberg optioned the book prior to its publication in 2011, intending to direct a feature film based on a screenplay draft by Drew Goddard. At one point, Anne Hathaway and Chris Hemsworth were slated to star, but Spielberg ultimately put the film on hold indefinitely in 2014.
In 2018, Michael Bay attempted to revive the project, taking the director’s seat, but this iteration also failed to advance.
The new television adaptation will be executive produced by Spielberg’s Amblin Entertainment. Brian Grazer and Jeb Brody from Imagine Entertainment, along with Greg Lessans and Rachel Wizenberg from Weed Road, will oversee development in partnership with Howard and Goldsman.
The Storyline
The narrative focuses on humanity’s struggle against an advanced artificial intelligence that turns against its creators. In light of contemporary discussions regarding the risks associated with artificial intelligence, the themes raised in the novel feel particularly relevant today.
The official logline for the novel states: “Not far into our future, the dazzling technology that runs our world turns against us. At Zero Hour—the moment the robots attack—the human race is almost annihilated, but as its scattered remnants regroup, humanity for the first time unites in a determined effort to fight back. Brilliantly conceived and amazingly detailed, Robopocalypse is an action-packed epic with chilling implications about the real technology that surrounds us.”
A Creative Duo
Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman have a long-standing collaborative history that began with their Oscar-winning film A Beautiful Mind. The film achieved Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture for Howard, while Goldsman secured an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay. They also worked together on The Da Vinci Code, which became a significant box office success, grossing over $760 million worldwide.
Details regarding casting, a network, and a production timeline for the Robopocalypse series are still pending.
