Annihilation (Alex Garland film)

[richerthanyou]

First I've heard about this, so I thought I'd drop it here. I'm probably behind the times but I didn't notice any posts about it yet so here ya go.

Jennifer Jason Leigh is reportedly in talks to star in Annihilation, writer/director Alex Garland's follow-up to Ex Machina.

The Wrap reports that Leigh would join Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez, and Tessa Thompson for the film, which will feature an all-female ensemble. It's based on the novel by Jeff VanderMeer, which follows a group of women including an anthropologist, a surveyor, a psychologist, and a biologist.

Leigh has not yet struck a deal, but sources say she's eager to join after working with an all-male cast in The Hateful Eight.

Ex Machina was a breakout directorial debut for Garland, having gained nods from both the BAFTA and Director's Guild. He is adapting Annihilation as well as directing the project.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annihilation_%28VanderMeer_novel%29

[IAMTHESYSTEM]

Apparently the book is about some sort of 'intelligent, deadly fungus' according to the GQ reviewer. Whether the film decides that this is a worthy story to follow I have no idea but it certainly has an impressive sounding cast attached to it despite it's stoner sounding plot.

[Theblazeuk]

I'm only up to the 2nd book of the series, but that description is entirely wrong.

It's about the strange area called the Southern Reach, which hasn't ever been the same since...something... happened there. And the agency that secures and investigates it.

Even that doesn't quite present the right image. I'd be very hard pressed to describe it properly, it's a weird thing. But very intriguing, heavy on the alienation and uncertainty. That GQ reviewer is talking out of their arse.

[JOE SOAP]

Paramount has set a Feb. 23, 2018 release date for Annihilation

[Beeks]

Apparently the book is about some sort of 'intelligent, deadly fungus' according to the GQ reviewer. Whether the film decides that this is a worthy story to follow I have no idea but it certainly has an impressive sounding cast attached to it despite it's stoner sounding plot.

So basically 'The Girl With All The Gifts'

[Theblazeuk]

More like Stalker. As mentioned, the summary from GQ is... terrible.

(And the fungus wasn't intelligent in GWAG! Only Melanie.)

[JOE SOAP]

More like Stalker.

Stalker and the original Strugatsky brothers' novel Roadside Picnic are both an obvious influence for both novel and film of Annihilation and SONY Pictures TV produced a pilot last year for a TV series based on Roadside Picnic – it hasn't been picked-up.

Earlier this year a trailer for the pilot leaked to youtube and was taken down but brave Stalkers can still find it hosted, ironically, on a Russian website – unlike Tarkovsky's 1979 film, it's more Danger Zone than The Zone, so your mileage may vary.

[Goaty]

Teaser trailer

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=76&v=ufaDurSCKOk

[JOE SOAP]

Netflix and Paramount/Skydance are negotiating a deal on the Alex Garland-directed Annihilation that will give the streaming service international rights to the sci-fi thriller, and an opportunity to release the film on its overseas streaming service 17 days after the film premieres in the the U.S. on February 23. Paramount will do the traditional theatrical release in the U.S., Canada and China.[/i]


http://deadline.com/2017/12/annihilation-netflix-deal-alex-garland-natalie-portman-1202218649/

[Professor Bear]

There was a recent sci-fi tv show with this same premise - the name of which escapes me, though for some reason I remember the 1990s tv show it ripped off: The Burning Zone.

[JOE SOAP]

It's a well trodden path: forbidden zones

[radiator]

Seems there's a bit more to Annihilation's strange distribution deal:

While the move is partly reflective of the concern studios now bring to releasing challenging midbudget movies, one impetus has its roots in a clash between two of the movie’s powerhouse producers.

In one corner is Scott Rudin, whose many credits include The Social Network and Lady Bird, and in the other sits David Ellison, the head of Skydance Productions, the company that made Geostorm and Terminator: Genysis...

The movie, which wrapped shooting in July 2016, had a poor test screening this summer that sources say was the root of the conflict. After the screening, Ellison became concerned that the movie was “too intellectual” and “too complicated,” according to sources, and wanted changes made to make it appeal to a wider audience...

Rudin sided with Garland, defending the movie and refused to take notes...

Things got testier from there, with Paramount caught in the middle. The studio ultimately decided that finding another distributor, preferably a streamer, could be the best fit for the movie which was deemed to have certain box office ceilings.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/annihilation-how-a-clash-between-producers-led-a-netflix-deal-1065465

[Jim_Campbell]

I'd take "too intellectual" from the man responsible for Geostorm as a ringing endorsement.

[JOE SOAP]

Trailer 2

[manwithnoname]

Shame that people in the UK can't watch it in the cinema, as intended by the people making the film.

As for "too intellectual", I suppose that that issue has been brought to the fore by the performance of Blade Runner 2049, and also the recent general underperformance of science-fiction releases that don't have any mass cultural resonance, like Valerian and Jupiter Ascending.

I think in Blade Runner's case, it did find its audience, the problem was it isn't big enough, and that's a massive problem when you have a decent sized budget and high expectations for marketing support

It's a strange book, too, quite abstract and meandering. Probably won more awards than it sold copies.