Stanley Kubrick fans will be sure to rejoice to hear that the acclaimed director of such renowned films as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Dr. Strangelove, The Shining, Eyes Wide Shut, and A Clockwork Orange, to name a few, has a new production in the works. Prior to Kubrick's passing in 1999, the famed director planned on adapting his original screenplay, Lunatic at Large, for the big screen. Now, the project is being revived by producers Bruce Hendricks and Galen Walker, who optioned the rights to the film.
Following Kubrick's death, three unadapted film stories were discovered in the director's home library. The Kubrick Estate recently signed off on the adaptation of Lunatic at Large, evidently trusting Hendricks and Walker to remain faithful to the director's original intentions. Hendricks and Walker are not industry newbies, with the former having previously worked as president of physical production at Walt Disney Studios.
Having supervised the making of such preeminent blockbusters like The Sixth Sense, Armageddon, and Alice in Wonderland, Hendricks is very familiar with the adaptation process. Walker, similarly, has spent over 30 years working in the entertainment industry as an executive, producer, and writer. Due to the intrigue surrounding the film, plot details are largely being kept secret. However, Hendricks and Walker have noted that Lunatic at Large is a film-noir style thriller in keeping with Kubrick's lauded filmography.
The producers also stressed their excitement in being entrusted with this momentous opportunity stating, "the opportunity to bring a Stanley Kubrick project to the screen after so many years is a dream come true." Hendricks also commented, "Stanley Kubrick was an enormous influence on so many directors, and we are honored that the Kubrick Estate has entrusted us with one of his original ideas."
This isn't the first time that an unmade Kubrick film has been optioned. In May of 2016, HBO announced their intentions to enlist the help of True Detective director Cary Fukunaga to create a miniseries adaptation of Kubrick's archived Napolean Epic. Since then, no word about the project has been uttered.
Some critics don't seem to share the same faith in Hendricks and Walker's adaptation capabilities. New Yorker film critic Richard Brody responded to news of the film commenting, "unless they bring Stanley Kubrick (and the 1950s) back to life, why bother; that should be the movie."
Lunatic at Large will be produced by Emerald Bay Entertainment (Hendricks) and FineLine Media (Walker). The film is set to begin production in the fall of 2021.
Source: Variety