Paramount Pictures is banking on John Woo to direct PAYCHECK.
The helmer is in negotiations to direct the futuristic tale of a man who can't remember what he has done for the past two years. Based on a short story by prolific sci-fi writer Philip K. Dick, the protagonist must seek clues to his whereabouts using common objects such as a ticket stub and bus token to uncover a government secret.
Woo also is attached to direct THE DIVIDE at Disney. Helmer, repped by Endeavor, spent two decades in the Hong Kong film industry before making his U.S. debut with HARD TARGET in 1992. Since then, he's helmed FACE/OFF, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE II, WINDTALKERS and BROKEN ARROW.
Brett Ratner had been in talks to direct PAYCHECK before committing to SUPERMAN; Kathryn Bigelow also had considered helming the project.
The script for PAYCHECK has been adapted by Dean Georgaris. Producers are John A. Davis, Michael Hackett and David Solomon.
Paycheck was originally published in 1953. Film adaptations of Dick's short stories have included MINORITY REPORT, TOTAL RECALL and BLADE RUNNER, released shortly after Dick died.
Before its development at Par, PAYCHECK was set up at Roger Birnbaum's former Caravan Pictures. Caravan and Touchstone optioned the film rights to the short story in 1996. (As reported by VARIETY)
(I'm looking forward to this)
Posted by EdipisReks (Member # 510) on :
i don't know if i like the idea of John Woo doing a p k dick story. Woo's American movies have been.....less good than his Hong Kong blood operas.
Posted by Nimpim (Member # 205) on :
"the futuristic tale of a man who can't remember what he has done for the past two years"
I'll tellya, I can totally relate to the geezer.
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
I always liked this story. . .
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Rumored star? Matt Damon.
Posted by Magnus de Pym (Member # 239) on :
Yes.
Posted by Free ThoughtCrime America (Member # 480) on :
This is actually one of my favorite stories by Dick. There is another (which I can't remember the name of) about humanity and ants fighting an ancient war that I liked better, but considering it only had one man in it, it would probably better serve as a short film.
I wonder why Dick's stories are recently becoming the hot commodity in Hollywood.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Spiders. Ants and spiders. Humans are more or less caught in the middle, though the spiders are on their side, essentially.
Also: recently?
Posted by Free ThoughtCrime America (Member # 480) on :
No, the war was between humanity and the ants. The spiders were created by humans to kill ants.
What's the name of that story?
And: Minority Report was what I was thinking of, but it seems as though several of his stories have been optioned out lately.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
I'm almost certain that is not so. As I recall, both spiders and ants had been around for tens of millions of years longer than people. We should all go reread it to be sure. If I can find the title. Which I can't. Hmm. It's in the first volume of his collected short stories. You'd think I could find a table of contents somewhere, but no luck. Wait! Is it..."Expendable"?
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
"I wonder why Dick's stories are recently becoming the hot commodity in Hollywood."
"Also: recently?"
Three movies in two years...
Posted by Free ThoughtCrime America (Member # 480) on :
The spider tells the man: "The last group of you that knew the full story started us going. We were bred"--the spider chuckled in it's own fashion--"bred some place for this worthwhile purpose. We keep them down very well. You know what they call us? The Eaters. Unpleasant, isn't it?"
And yes, it was Expendable.
Posted by Sol System (Member # 30) on :
Well, it's off to the gallows for me.
Posted by Free ThoughtCrime America (Member # 480) on :
Remembering silly details of obscure stories is my forte.
Posted by Free ThoughtCrime America (Member # 480) on :
Remembering silly details of obscure stories is my forte.
Posted by PsyLiam (Member # 73) on :
We heard you.
Posted by TSN (Member # 31) on :
And it only took you sixty hours to hear him...
Posted by Vogon Poet (Member # 393) on :
He's got two fortes - does that make an eighte? 8)
Posted by Free ThoughtCrime America (Member # 480) on :