Phil Lord and Chris Miller have signed on to helm a film adaptation of Artemis, the newest novel from The Martian author Andy Weir. The dynamic duo have experienced quite the roller coaster ride this year, being fired from the young Han Solo spinoff movie back in June (after four months of filming) due to creative differences with Lucasfilm. Fortunately for them, it hasn't taken the two much time to find more work. Recently, they returned to the LEGO Movie franchise to rewrite the screenplay for The LEGO Movie Sequel, which will explore themes of gender differences with its pair of young human siblings.
While it's great to see Lord and Miller still actively involved in Hollywood, they had yet to pick up a new directing gig after leaving the galaxy far, far away. Warner Bros. has frequently flirted with the helmsmen for Flashpoint, but nothing ever came into fruition on that front. Now, however, Lord and Miller will be back in the directors chairs, calling the shots on what should be a very interesting sci-fi film.
According to Deadline, Lord and Miller will direct Artemis, and will work with distributor 20th Century Fox to find a writer to translate the book to a screenplay. The story is described as an "adrenaline-charged crime caper" that follows the exploits of Jasmine "Jazz" Bashara, a "directionless twentysomething" living in a town called Artemis who struggles to make ends meet. Deep in debt and failing to make much smuggling, Jazz's fate changes when she gets a chance at a major score. Taking on the job, she gets caught up in a "conspiracy for control of Artemis." No doubt, viewers will point out the similarities between Artemis and Star Wars, as the character of Jasmine essentially reads as a gender-swapped Han Solo. Apparently, Lord and Miller have a sci-fi itch they're yearning to scratch.
The report mentions that Lord and Miller were drawn to Artemis because it provided them with the opportunity to build their own world, as opposed to playing within someone else's sandbox. It isn't surprising they would take this route following their experience on Han Solo, since a majority of the problems were chalked up to their improvisational style clashing with the visions of Kathleen Kennedy and Lawrence Kasdan. With Artemis, Lord and Miller will be free of any constraints and should have all the creative freedom they desire. Additionally, they read as strong choices to adapt Weir, who deftly balanced comedy and drama with The Martian. Lord and Miller are best known for the hilarious hijinks of the Jump Street films, but the third act of The LEGO Movie proved they have what it takes to pull off poignant moments that can resonate with audiences.
Artemis is seen as a top priority for Fox, which also released the film adaptation of The Martian in 2015. That movie (helmed by Ridley Scott) proved to be most successful, earning $630.1 million worldwide and scoring seven Oscar nominations - including Best Picture. The studio will be hoping for similar results for Artemis, especially with creative minds like Lord and Miller behind the project. Hopefully, this attempt at a sci-fi adventure goes smoothly for them, and viewers get transported to an exciting new universe.
MORE: Lord and Miller Rewriting LEGO Movie Sequel
We'll keep you updated on Artemis as more information becomes available.
Source: Deadline