Logan’s Run Reboot Getting Rewrite From Hunger Games Scribe

[Nergal]

 

Warner Bros.’ long-discussed Logan’s Run reboot is alive again, with Hunger Games scribe Peter Craig set to give the script a rewrite. X-Men: Dark Phoenix director Simon Kinberg remains attached to the sci-fi project, which reportedly will flip the gender of the lead role from male to female. Kinberg previously said he hoped Logan’s Run would spawn a Hunger Games-like franchise.


Released in 1976, Logan’s Run takes place in a futuristic utopia where youth rules. And the laws of this world guarantee youth will continue to rule by mandating every citizen must die when they reach the age of 30. Michael York plays Logan, a “Sandman” tasked with chasing down citizens who try to run before their expiration date. When Logan and his new friend Jessica (Jenny Agutter) pose as runners and infiltrate an outside colony, they discover a whole new world beyond their allegedly perfect bubble.


Warner Bros. has tried for a long time to reboot Logan’s Run, and now it appears things are actually moving forward. As reported by Deadline, Hunger Games writer Peter Craig has come aboard to work on a new script for the film. Given the movie’s Hunger Games-like premise, Craig seems a perfect fit.


Logan’s Run has been in the works for years, with many different writers and directors joining and leaving the project. In 2010, Carl Erik Rinsch (47 Ronin) was announced as the movie’s director. Later that same year, sci-fi maven Alex Garland reportedly came aboard to write the script. In 2011, Ryan Gosling and Nicolas Winding Refn became attached to the film with Will Beall (Castle) to write. Two more writers, Bioshock video game creator Ken Levine and The Take writer Andrew Baldwin, reportedly took their own stabs. Simon Kinberg came aboard the project in 2015 and appears to be in it for the long haul.


Dystopian sci-fi of course became a hot genre largely thanks to the Hunger Games films, based on the YA novels by Suzanne Collins. It makes sense that studios would see Logan’s Run as a potential Hunger Games-like franchise. After all, Logan’s Run was a clear influence on Hunger Games. Gender-swapping the lead role allows Warners to hire a young actress and put her on a Jennifer Lawrence path. Or perhaps they’ll attract someone already established. But probably not Jennifer Lawrence, who surely has put youth centered sci-fi franchise movies in her rearview mirror. Red Sparrow certainly indicates that Lawrence has moved on to more adult fare.


Though Warners seems keen on Logan’s Run, it’s fair to question if Hunger Games-style dystopia still arouses audience interest. We may get a better idea later this year when Ready Player One releases. Peter Jackson’s Mortal Engines could provide a further test for the genre’s viability. We will continue to update Logan’s Run as things develop for the possible future franchise.