We keep think that the any Neuromancer movie will come out into the theaters like most Hollywood movies, but what about a made for TV movie. I could see a chanel like HBO or SciFi being able to take a risk with making Neuromancer with out dumbing it down or cutting out major parts of the story to make it fit in a two hours space.

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We keep think that the any Neuromancer movie will come out into the theaters like most Hollywood movies, but what about a made for TV movie. I could see a chanel like HBO or SciFi being able to take a risk with making Neuromancer with out dumbing it down or cutting out major parts of the story to make it fit in a two hours space

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That would be a better idea. Even a short story like Johnny Mnemonic was too much for 90-minutes.

I think a 5-part mini-series would better confer the amazing properties of this, or any other Gibson book.

That's a cool idea. The thread is called Neuromancer FILM, maybe that's why no one has talked about it much. (People are always so willing to box themselves into little compartmental slots). In the Neuromancer anime thread there is a great deal more posts about doing it as a show/mini-series. SciFi channel would be a nice outlet except for the commercial break every fifteen minutes or so, and the need to conform the story to that format and the censors. HBO or Showtime would be a better choice for uninterrupted episode blocks, but not everyone is a subscriber, which limits the initial viewing base as well as lowering the budget. Maybe if they thought they would get a good return on DVD sales they would up the budget, but then they would have to sell an expensive multidisc box set if they go for a miniseries, which might bring them back full-circle to contemplating a normal 2 hour time slot.

Of course, the main thing with Neuromancer, is so much of the book is the language used, not just what's happening in terms of plot. Plenty of people have used the concepts in the book but not many can match Gibson's style. How do you translate that into visual territory? I don't think smarting it up or dumbing it down or worrying about how long it is or how to break it up into broadcastable segments are big issues compared to figuring out how to retain the soul of the book. Figure out how to capture the flavor, and the presentation format will suggest itself. Isn't that what people react the most to about that one script floating around on the net? The amplification of importance of the Turing police to the narrative flow in that script fundamentally changes the story from a noirish mystery to a heroic action movie. Same basic plot but totally different flavor. One has to question why there was anything changed at all, but the only conclusion I can come to is the writer simply didn't get the book so felt compelled to alter the structure of the story and relationship of the characters. Hollywood has no confidence in their audiences because they lack confidence in themselves.

16th spider: i love clive owen, but i already have him tagged as swain in MLO. i like the idea of johnny lee miller, have toyed around with it for ages, but he's gotta be getting too old now. case is in his early 20s, and though he's not in good shape, it doesn't make him like a 30 something.

The concept of length for adaptations of Gibson stories interests me. I was thinking Hinterlands may play well at a length of 120-140 minutes, but you have to handle the project as if it were 2001: A Space Odyssey. That means the story progression must be strictly linear (starting with Saint Olga's launch from Baikonur) and the sense of space's utter loneliness and desolation must be amplified.

A little music by Daniel Lanois as Toby and Charmian drift off into slumber hand-in-hand wouldn't hurt, either. But that's just me.

I think Burning Chrome is Gibson's short story that would work best for flim. It is a short enough so major parts of the story will not be taken out. It has romance, and conflict on multiple levels. Even that the story has alot of high technology in it, the movie dose not need to spend lots of money to acomplish the effects.

You know reading thru this thread i have noticed a couple things. Alot of you, tho not all, are taking characters from movies alot similar, and just placing them here. OoooOOOo Jonny Lee Miller as Case. Carrie Ann Moss as Molly. No No No. This movie would be better if it was fresh actors who are brought in from actual skilled agencies. Broadway, and places like that. Look at Sci-Fi channels Dune, they brought in actors and actresses for the most part who had no name inside of Hollywood (with the exception of one or two). This worked out beneficial, they gave a more protraying story. It's just like watching a Will Smith movie, you dont feel for the character because you know its Will Smith because of his past performances.
I say they scout talent, and make it believable. Instead of just throwing some people in there that people know and love.

I pretty much agree with you AE, except I still stand by Adrien Brody as Case. I would have to support Carrie Anne Moss as Molly as well, but only because it is so obvious the WB ripped Molly out of Neuromancer, tweaked the construct a bit called her Trinity, and stuck the character into the Matrix. I think it's good to have a few name actors, people who might not know what the hell Neuromancer is might show up to watch it if it has someone they recognize. Will Smith would not be on any list I made though. No way. But mostly if I had someone with a big name, they would have a smaller but essential role, like John Hurt in the Dune series you mentioned, or Susan Sarandon in the sequel. I probably mentioned it before but it's pretty pointless to think about a Hollywood dream cast anyway. The chances of getting all the people you want together at the same time are pretty small. Better to go after talent you can actually work with.

edit: fixed a typo and realized I meant I support CAM as Molly as opinion, but no way would I actually cast her in my version. Somehow posting at 1AM doesn't do much for my clarity. Like posting this at 4:30AM will make any more sense...

This message has been edited. Last edited by: elecktrik dragon,

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Originally posted by AlecEmpire:
You know reading thru this thread i have noticed a couple things. Alot of you, tho not all, are taking characters from movies alot similar, and just placing them here. OoooOOOo Jonny Lee Miller as Case. Carrie Ann Moss as Molly. No No No. This movie would be better if it was fresh actors who are brought in from actual skilled agencies.

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Agree wholeheartedly, me does.

"Hey, we got Keanu as Case!"
"Excellent. Now please tell what the fuck happened to the special effects budget."
"Er. Hey, we got Keanu as Case!"
"Thought so."

They'd be cheaper. The audience would have no preconceptions - either good or awkward - and perhaps Mr. WG would be responsible for springboard the careers of some bright new things, too. I don't see why Carrie Anne should simply get Molly's role because the Brothers Warner had not the imagination to think up someone a bit more original. People would start thinking Matrix and Neuro were somehow related in the plot - in the same universe.

Unknowns add a certain indie feel. Hot new talent is always good. I don't think typecasting is valuable to anyone. And yes, it'd be much nicer to hire actors on the basis of talent, as opposed to being The Big Thing At The Moment. If Vin Diesel shows up anywhere near Neuro, there will be pain. Lots of pain. For all concerned.

I feel Carrie Anne Moss is too old to play Molly, not to say that Moss is an old hag or something. Moss is in her 30's and she looks great, but I think Molly especially in Nueromancer should be in the early 20's and have fresher look.

Any ways this this my dream list for actors for the different stories, there are a few big names but not many

Burning Chrome

Automatic Jack - Vin Diesel
Miles - Mario Van Peebles
Rikki- Christina Ricci
Bobby Quine - Jake Busey (Starship Troopers, Tomcats)
Finn- Iggy Pop

Neuromancer

Case - Jonny Lee Miller (Trainspotting, Hackers)
Molly
Ratz
Riviera - Edward Norton
Deane - Malcom MacDowel
Finn - Iggy Pop
Dixie Flatline
Armitage - Dolph Lundgren
Hideo - John Lone (he played Kenji in the Hunted)
3 Jane-
Ashpool - Miguel Ferrer
Maelcum
Gerald Chin - Danny DeVito

Count Zero

Bobby Newmark - Tobey Maguire
Angie Mitchell - Kirsten Dunst
Turner - Jason Statham (The Transporter)
Marly - Denise Richards
Josef Virek -
Conroy - Christopher Lambert
Two-A-Day - Mekhi Phifer(ER, Clockers)
Leon - Joe Pantoliano (Matrix)
Jammer -
Jackie - Angela Bassett (Strange Days
Rhea - Lauryn Hill
Paco - Heath Ledger
Beauvoir - Samuel L. Jackson
Lucas - Don Cheadle (Picket Finces)
Alain - Paul Verhoeven (Starship Troopers)
Wigan Ludgate

Mona Lisa Overdrive
Mona- Kirsten Dunst
Bobby Newmark - Tobey Maguire
Angie Mitchell - Kirsten Dunst
Little Bird - Matthew Lillard (SLC Punk!, Thirteen Ghost)
Slick Henery - Paul Walker (The fast and the Furious)
Kumiko -
Kanaka -
Petal - Sean Bean (Lord of the Rings, Ronin)
Swan - Matt Schulze (Transporter)
Cherry Chesterfield - Julia Stiles (10 things I hate about You, O)
Gentry -
Tick -
Colin - Billy Boyd (Lord of the Rings)
Eddy - Vince Vaughn (Swingers, Old School)
Gerald Chin - Danny DeVito
Porphyre - Taye Diggs (Chicago, Equilibrium)
Hilton Swift - Christian Bale (Equilibrium)
Prior-
Finn- Iggy Pop

As i've said on the board before the only way that anybody is going to do gibson the justice he diserves is if its done as an anime
Gibson has had some bad run ins with hollywood (new rose hotel, jonny m)
sci-fi anime has taken so much from gibson that the top names would be clawing at the chance to do a real gibson
Burning chrome or one of his other short stories would be a good place to start
I dont think that Gibston can really trust hollywood after the crap that they've put him though

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Originally posted by supercide:
We keep think that the any Neuromancer movie will come out into the theaters like most Hollywood movies, but what about a made for TV movie. I could see a chanel like HBO or SciFi being able to take a risk with making Neuromancer with out dumbing it down or cutting out major parts of the story to make it fit in a two hours space.

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C'est mon point. There are all kinds of ways to approach the Sprawl trilogy.

Do not get me wrong or anything, I love anime. 20 years a go you said that someone will make a three live action movie of Lord of the Rings, and one of them will when an oscar. People would look at you if out of your mind. Espeicaly sense the Lord of the Rings animation movie sucked big time.

What I am saying is no one has yet wrote a screen play that really captures what Gibson's novel is about, the inner conflick of Case.

i like mischa barton as mona/angie esp. cause i reckon it'd be easy enough to find a younger match if need be.

sean bean isn't chunky enough for petal, that's why i like ray winstone (nil by mouth, sexy beast) he fits the bill physically and culturally (bean's a northerner, isn't he?) and clive owen is swain hands down. i think he and ray winstone would have the perfect dynamic too. colin needs to be like billy boyd, but about 20 years younger.

edward norton isn't pretty enough for riviera.

i like gael garcia bernal (sp?) as the older paco. or perhaps i just like the idea of him altogether! and audrey tatou would be lovely as marly.

maybe bravus could play dixie flatline.

and as tick

though of course looking nothing like that. (i think he may have been in harry potter and the prisoner of whatever you call it.)

I'm just starting filmschool.

I have a screenplay in the works with similarities, but not copyright infringement.

I would love to make it though.

I read a pirated copy of the first draft from like back in '91. It sucked. Didn't follow the book at all... I don't know where it is, but even the Ender's Game movie is looking like its less Duke Nukem ForEVER-ish.

Neuromancer

Case - Christian Bale or Clive Owen. Possibly Jude Law. And I did link those, but I haven't seen Closer yet.
Molly - Ziyi Zhang (House of Flying Daggers, Crouching Tiger) Uma Thurman (Dude, Kill Bill?) Kate Beckinsale (Underworld was plotless, but she was almost molly's twin without the mirrorshades)
Ratz - Sean Connery (okay, he needs to do a german accent, but shit, he's perfect!) Maybe Billy Conelly ('Da' in Boondocks Saints, ugh, nother scotsman) Ahnold?
Riviera - Edward Norton < good pick, or
Deane - James Earl Jones; we need at least one black guy in the cast, and he fits the role perfectly. David Carradine (Bill, in Kill Bill)
Finn - Willem Dafoe. Duh. or John Malkovich. or Steve Buscemi.
Dixie Flatline - Matthew McCoughnehey (I cant spell it, but he's got the right southern accent, you don't really need to see his face)
Armitage - Russel Crowe (hes already done a burly nutball, c'mon.)
Hideo - Jet Li. He's short.
3 Jane - Cate Blanchett or Kate Winslet maybe Audrey Tautou (Amelie, Very long engagement)
Ashpool - Ian Mcdiarmid (Emperor Palpatine)
Maelcum - Don Cheadle (Hotel Rwanda, Mission to Mars)
Wintermute - Synthesized voice.
Neuromancer boy - Haley Joel Osmendt or the kid who played Peter in 'Finding Neverland'

one more.

Lisa - Winona Ryder.

correction: Linda Lee - Winona Ryder.

I need to reread neuromancer for the ninth or hundredth time.

and by the way, i posted those without reading any of your picks, except the one right before mine.

Russel Crowe is PERFECT for armitage though. he's played every side of Armitage in different movies seperately. I did choose big actors, not more underground types... I don't get IFC. it sucks.

The guy from Requiem for a Dream, who was that? He could play Case. Or was that fucking Jake Gillenhall? I cant remember.

Personally, I like your enthusiasm Neuroslice, so I'm gonna welcome you to the board and wish you well in your film endeavors, before I leave you with a warning to read the rest of the thread before posting. Making a movie of NEUROMANCER is a sort of sacred subject for a lot of people around here, and the majority of them would like to see Hollywood nuked before it ever gets its hands on the property (again). I think a lot of people might turn their sights towards you and arm their cannons over your posts, so if you start sensing a lot of hostility in the near future, this is probably why.

I actually would like to see Hollywood do it, but do it right and serve it justice. They have the tools - If they used the latest SGI - Pixar - Lightstorm - and THX all together it could be a real unifying piece.

I'd like to see Steven Spielberg do it with John Williams for the Orchastral - With a wide range of Hypertech Techno/Hip Hop/Reggae/and Industrial Artists. At least have Cevin Key in the mix, after all He's the guy Gibson inspired in the Keyboard Cyberpunk issue in 89.

-Chris