1984 may have been 28 years ago, but Ron Howard thinks George Orwell’s novel of the same name is still prescient enough to make a new film version out of. Howard’s Imagine Entertainment has hired screenwriter Noah Oppenheim (The Secret Life of Houdini) to adapt the book into a screenplay, according to Deadline.
The book follows Winston Smith, a man who works at the Ministry of Truth, literally rewriting history as it unfolds. He tries to rebel against this totalitarian society – and the all-seeing Big Brother – by falling in love, which is strictly forbidden.
Ron Howard, Brian Grazer, and Julie Yorn are producing for Imagine Entertainment. A director has not been attached yet, although there’s a possibility Howard will helm himself if the script is right (and The Dark Tower doesn’t move forward).
Oppenheim is becoming a bit of a remake/adaptation specialist, as he’s also working on new versions on War Games, and a remake of Daniel Espinosas Snabba Cash.