Writer John Scalzi's science fiction novel series set in the Old Man's War universe have been the subject of interest from studios and networks in the past, but none of the proposed adaptations have made it to the screen. Now Netflix has nabbed the rights and is developing a film of the first War book.
Scalzi’s novel, the first in a series of six so far, was originally published back in 2005, though the author actually released it online before that. It follows the adventures of soldier John Perry who, after his wife dies when he’s 75, agrees to sign up for the Colonial Defence Forces. In exchange for his service and the fact he’ll never return to Earth, his consciousness is uploaded into a healthy, augmented new body and he’s sent off to battle a variety of alien forces caught up in a territorial scramble for the available planets of the galaxy.
The books have been favourably compared with the likes of Robert Heinlein (Scalzi has talked about his appreciation for the writer’s work) and Joe Haldeman (of The Forever War), and offer both intriguing concepts and great characters.
Previously, the books were being developed by Wolfgang Petersen as a film for Paramount, before the US SyFy channel took it over with hopes of spawning a TV series. Now it's Netflix's turn. Scalzi shared his take on the news in his inimitable style at his own blog. The author also has other projects in development, including an adaptation of his Star Trek-nudging novel Redshirts.