Denis Villeneuve Will Reportedly Adapt Another Epic Sci-Fi Classic

Frank Herbert's "Dune" series might be a stone cold classic of the science fiction genre, but it has proved notoriously difficult to adapt. David Lynch's Kyle MacLahlan-starring 1984 adaptation was disappointing to the critics (per Rotten Tomatoes), and while the 2000 Sci-Fi Channel miniseries fared somewhat better when it came to reviews (via Rotten Tomatoes), it didn't exactly set the world aflame with praise. 

Of course, it eventually turned out that the challenges of adapting the novels were largely because of a distinct lack of director Denis Villeneuve. The first part of Villeneuve's "Dune" was released in 2021, and rocked so much that you can expect "Dune: Part Two" sometime in 2023. With that in mind, it's hardly a surprise that the director — who's also directed genre greats like "Arrival" and "Blade Runner 2049" — has been rumored to tackle other sci-fi greats in the future, as well. Let's find out what epic sci-fi classic Denis Villeneuve will reportedly adapt after "Dune."

According to a report by The Hollywood Reporter, Denis Villeneuve is all set to tackle "Rendezvous with Rama," a classic sci-fi work by writer Arthur C. Clarke. For those who know their sci-fi classics, this is monumental news. For people unfamiliar with the author's name, suffice to say that Clarke is responsible for a certain, rather well-known work known as "2001: A Space Odyssey," which was memorably adapted for screen by Stanley Kubrick in 1968. "Rendezvous with Rama" is a tale about the crew of a solar survey spaceship that's unexpectedly ordered to explore a mysterious alien vessel that's passing through the solar system, but as you'd expect from Clarke — or, for that matter, Villeneuve — few things are as simple as they seem. 

As a statement by two of the movie's producers, Broderick Johnson and Andrew Kosove, makes clear, the project seems like an amazing fit for Villeneuve's movie-making talents. "This is one of the most intelligent works of fiction in the genre; it poses as many questions as it does answers, and is a work for our time," they said. "It's perfectly fitted to our friend and collaborator Denis' brilliant sensibilities and specifically to his love and passion for science fiction." 

Due to Villeneuve's various "Dune"-related committments, it's unclear when you'll get to see "Rendezvous with Rama," but as always, count on Looper to keep you informed.