By Chris Columbus is set to produce an adaptation of the novel How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe by Charles Yu. Attached to direct the film is Brendan Bellomo, an NYU film graduate whose previous credits include the sci-fi short Bohemibot. As of now, no word on who’ll be doing the screenplay.
Yu’s novel was a New York Times Notable Book in 2010. Here’s a (truncated) synopsis:
Every day, people get into time machines and try to do the one thing they should never do: change the past. That’s where Charles Yu, time travel technician — part counselor, part gadget repair man — steps in. He helps save people from themselves. Literally. Accompanied by TAMMY, an operating system with low self-esteem, and Ed, a nonexistent but ontologically valid dog, Yu sets out to find the one day where he and his father can meet in memory.
A good friend of mine lent me the book and I just started it over the weekend. Only a third of the way through, but it’s been a fantastic read so far — one of those novels that shifts between funny, thoughtful, and touching quite effortlessly. Flixist managing editor Alex Katz has read the book and I agree with him that it’s unfilmable, at least if they stick too close to the text.
That’s not to say an adaptation is impossible. Last month there was a stage version of How to Live Safely in a Science Fictional Universe in Columbus, Ohio. It was a one-man show (with additional video accompaniment) at Available Light Theater, co-written by Jennifer Fawcett and Matt Slaybaugh. The production received good reviews and even extended its run due to popular demand.
[Via Hollywood Reporter, Columbus Alive!]