Denis Villeneuve To Direct ‘Rendezvous With Rama’

Alcon Entertainment has acquired the film rights to Arthur C. Clarke’s sci-fi novel Rendezvous With Rama with Denis Villeneuve on board to direct.

The novel has been under option for over 20 years and purchased outright in 2018 by Morgan Freeman and Lori McCreary’s Revelations Entertainment, which will produce with Alcon.

First published in 1973, the novel is regarded as one of the cornerstones of Clarke’s works. Set in the 2130s, the story involves a 31 by 12 mile cylindrical alien starship that enters the Solar System. The story is told from the point of view of a group of human explorers who intercept the ship in an attempt to unlock its mysteries.

Alcon will finance the project, and Kosove and Johnson will produce with McCreary and Freeman. Alcon Entertainment financed and produced Villeneuve’s Prisoners starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, and the critically acclaimed epic Blade Runner 2049 starring Ryan Gosling and Harrison Ford, which won three Academy Awards.

Freeman and McCreary had a long-standing collaboration directly with the reclusive Arthur C. Clarke, and they committed to him to personally on their visit to him in Sri Lanka that they would usher Rendezvous with Rama to the big screen in a manner true to his seminal book.

“Denis’ vision for ‘Rama’ felt completely aligned with Arthur’s wishes, so we are confident that teaming with our producing partners Andrew and Broderick at Alcon is the right next step in this over-20-year odyssey!” stated McCreary and Freeman.

Villeneuve recently directed the box-office hit and critically acclaimed movie Dune for Legendary Films via Warner Bros. Villeneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for his film Arrival starring Amy Adams. He is repped by CAA. Jason Sloane and A.J Brandenstein represent Revelations Entertainment.