With Steven Spielberg already busy preparing to shoot Robopocalypse, Daniel H Wilson is in the sort of position most writers would kill to experience. But now his latest book, Amped, is in development at Working Title, with Alex Proyas attached to call the shots.
The book, first called AMP, was originally optioned by Summit back in 2010 and Proyas was involved back then. Ironically, the studio won the rights in a bidding war against Paramount and, yes, Working Title. But it let them lapse.
Amped, like Robopocalypse, is set in the near future and deals with issues involving the morality of technological developments.
In this case, humanity has invented a device intended for the disabled that offers superhuman abilities to those in whom it's implanted. The ramifications of this new technology spread far and wide throughout society and soon new laws are enacted curbing the freedoms and rights of “amplified” humans.
When the US Supreme Court passes the first of the stringent three laws, 29-year-old Owen Grey becomes part of the persecuted underclass. He sets off on the run to find an outpost in Oklahoma where rumour says the most enhanced “amps” are planning to change the world. But will it be for the better?
Proyas seems a good choice for this one, given his experience blending big films with techno fear themes. But there’s no word on when we might see it, as there’s no writer on board yet and the director is attached to several movies bubbling away, as well as getting involved in telly drama Evolve. Still, given the likely hoopla over Robopocalypse, you can imagine Working Title encouraging him to make this a priority.