There’s been talk for years about making a movie of Paradise Lost, but fears over its commercial viability have always prevented the studios from taking the big budget plunge. However now Variety reports that Alex Proyas (I Am Legend, Dark City) has signed up to direct a Paradise Lost movie, which Legendary Pictures has been developing through its financing deal with Warner Bros.
The screenplay was written by Stuart Hazeldine, based on an original draft by Byron Willinger and Philip de Blasi. Polishes were also provided by Lawrence Kasdan and Ryan Condal, suggesting that on the script front, a lot of work has already been completed.
While Paradise Lost tells several stories about the relationship between God and men, the 3D live action film will concentrate on the story of the epic war in heaven between archangels Michael and Lucifer, and will be crafted as an action vehicle that will include aerial warfare. While there’s a lot of scope for a good movie, the religious elements and dealing with Milton’s dense philosophy are what have scared off studios in the past, particularly the fact Milton presents Lucifer/Satan as a somewhat tragic figure.
Proyas would seem to be a good fit, as he’s a director who always loved ideas as much as telling a story, with his movies tending to be packed with weighty topics, dealt with in an entertaining way (sometimes more entertaining than others). However, Paradise Lost still hasn’t received the greenlight, and to be honest, it wouldn’t be too shocking if the movie collapsed when it came time for Warner to commit hundreds of millions of dollars to a film which has always got to be seen, in Hollywood terms, as a risky proposition.