R.U.R. | Alex Proyas

[BluBonnet]

Mallory Jansen & Anthony LaPaglia Join Alex Proyas’ Sci-Fi Satire Feature ‘R.U.R.’

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. actress Mallory Jansen and Emmy and Tony Award winner Anthony LaPaglia are boarding Alex Proyas‘ upcoming sci-fi satire R.U.R. opposite Lindsay Farris (Ash vs Evil Dead).

Cameras roll on Oct. 21 in Sydney, Australia.

Proyas penned the screenplay which is an adaptation of Karel Capek famous science fiction play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), published in 1920. R.U.R. follows Helena, played by Jansen, who visits the island factory of Rossum’s Universal Robots to emancipate the robots from capitalist exploitation, with catastrophic results.

Proyas is the filmmaker behind the $353M-grossing Will Smith 2004 summer hit I, Robot.

The film is being produced by Proyas, Morris Ruskin (Glengarry Glen Ross, Ladies In Black), former CAA agent Adam Krentzman, Steven Matusko (Infini, The Osiris Child) and Brett Thornquest (Better Watch Out, Bloody Hell). EPs are Matthew Rhodes (Cherry, Bloodshot) of The Hideaway Entertainment, Rohit Khanna, and Alasdair King of Icon Film.

Pre-production is underway at Heretic Foundation’s VFX facilities with Andrew Robinson (Mad Max: Fury Road), EP of Heretic leading the way.

“Karel Capek’s play is about man abusing technology, which is even more potent now, so I’m thrilled to be bringing this story to audiences today,” said Proyas.

The word “robot” became part of everyday vocabulary after Čapek introduced the word in his play that went on to be a global hit. By 1923, the play had been translated into 30 languages. In 1922, Spencer Tracy starred in the Garrick Theater production on Broadway. Capek was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature seven times.

“Alex has written a wild, visionary and imaginative adaptation that we are already seeing coming to life in pre-production,” said MoJo Global Arts CEO Ruskin.

Krentzman added, “I was honored to represent Alex for 20 years, and now even more so as a producing/business partner. This an exceptionally imaginative and timely project.”

Jansen who was a series regular on FOX’s dance-themed dramedy The Big Leap, and starred for a season in Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.. She was also a series regular in Dan Fogelman’s musical series Galavant.

[Zivouhr]

Interesting concept about trying to free the robots from working.

Proyas, the guy from The Crow, director. Gods of Egypt also. And the awesome I Robot. I did see Dark City, but wasn't a big fan. I can see why some love it, including Roger Ebert, who did a commentary on the DVD for it. I'll try to watch Knowing, as Nic Cage is in that one.

[JoeKryten]

As an OLD print SF fan, R.U.R. is one of the legendary texts right up there with Campbell's "Who Goes There" (the basis for The Thing). As the blurb says, it's the origin for the word "robot".

Of course, I've never read or watched many legendary pieces of art (this among them) but it will be interesting to see what the director of Dark City and The Crow does with this.

[morris_schaffer]

Read that as RIP.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

Read that as RIP.

[Doomhunter]

Looks to be a remake of the 1935 film which is a bonus feature on the new Kosmische Reisen (Cosmic Journey) blu ray

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240539/

[GuruAskew]

Proyas is a real AI proponent and unfortunately this project seems like it could be a good excuse for him to do his AI bullshit.

[JoeKryten]

Originally Posted by Doomhunter

Looks to be a remake of the 1935 film which is a bonus feature on the new Kosmische Reisen (Cosmic Journey) blu ray

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0240539/

That film appears to be "inspired" by R.U.R. and is instead based off a 1929 Ukrainian novel.

There have been adaptations in 1938, 1948 and a short from 2013 which isn't a direct adaptation. The 2013 short stars everybody's favorite dabo girl from DS9 - Chase Masterson.

[BluBonnet]

Originally Posted by JoeKryten

That film appears to be "inspired" by R.U.R. and is instead based off a 1929 Ukrainian novel.

There have been adaptations in 1938, 1948 and a short from 2013 which isn't a direct adaptation. The 2013 short stars everybody's favorite dabo girl from DS9 - Chase Masterson.

According to the story in the OP:

Proyas penned the screenplay which is an adaptation of Karel Capek famous science fiction play R.U.R. (Rossum’s Universal Robots), published in 1920

Karel Čapek was a Czech

[JoeKryten]

Originally Posted by BluBonnet

According to the story in the OP:



Karel Čapek was a Czech

?? Was referring to the 1935 film that Doomhunter brought up in the quote. IMDB has the title as "Loss of Feeling" and has Capek listed as one of the writers but the trivia indicates that it doesn't appear to be an adaptation of RUR despite having those letters stamped on the robots.

Wikipedia has it listed as "Loss of Sensation", w/o Capek listed as a writer and is explicit that it isn't an adaptation of RUR and that it is based on a 1929 Ukrainian novel by Volodimir Vladko.

With so many adaptations and homages, apparently RUR was quite the inspiration at the time from the 20's to the 40's but unlike Metropolis it didn't remain in the public consciousness over the long haul (other than being trivia fodder for the origin of the word "robot").

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loss_of_Sensation

[Zivouhr]

If this is as epic and entertaining as I Robot with Will Smith, this could be awesome. I Robot is a favorite sci-fi movie.

Originally Posted by morris_schaffer

Read that as RIP.

I had to look twice too when I was about to open the thread. R.I.P. vs R.LI.R. The U briefly looking like an I, and R a P almost but for the little line.