Sunday, May 17, 2009

Robota: one robot movie I really wish got made!

I can't recall the first time I laid eyes on Robota, but I do remember that I was blown away by what I was looking at! In 2003, the illustrated book by Doug Chiang and Orson Scott Card about a mysterious fourth planet of the solar system named Orpheus was published. The book is a work of art, literally!

Unfortunately, there have been few updates to Chiang's website since late 2005, and no recent news about the movie. The following clip were dug up, but I don't know if they're unique works, or part of an actual movie. In today's CGI movie, I just don't understand why this movie project never moved beyond the early stages.






If you've got any information, I'd love to know more!

10 comments:

Unknown said...

Indeed, this movie looked awesome. Pretty sure it's dead now since those trailers are fairly old now.

CrazyKinux said...

And that's just too bad, cause it would make a kick ass film!

Spectre said...

Forget worrying about this one... I just wish OSC would hurry up and get an Enders Game movie out. I think I read a first draft script for it in like 1998. I've lost hope at this point that it will ever get made.

Myrhial Arkenath said...

Shame to hear this is likely never coming out. My guess would be financial issues killed the project.

Scopique said...

Great trailers indeed. Looks like Chiang is working for Disney now (http://www.imagemoversdigital.com/) and he was probably too busy with their recent projects. According to their website, he is working on "A Christmas Carol" with Jim Carrey at the moment.

I guess there is more money to be made with mainstream movies. :(

CrazyKinux said...

Maybe he'll eventually find the time, money and will to complete the project. Eh, a guy can dream no? :p

Magson said...

http://robotamovie.com/dchiang/updates.html

Last update on Mr. Chiang's site is from Dec 2005 saying the movie should have been done by November 2007. Somehow I don't think it happened.

I posted over at Scott Card's site asking if anyone there knows anything more about this either.

Anonymous said...

Hey, a fellow Robota fan! My understanding back when I was following his blog back in 04-05 was that he had never intended for it to be a movie - he wanted it to be a "film book." He shopped it around, OSC saw it, and it got done. But some animation studio overseas got hot and bothered about it and came up with the CGI, and they started looking at turning it into a movie.

My guess is hangups as above, but also because Doug wasn't the real impetus behind it reaching movie form, so he probably let it go. Also I know about the same time he was working on Polar Express and Revenge of the Sith, both of which ate up his time.

CrazyKinux said...

Just order Robota and Cosmic Motors! If I can't get the movie, I'll at least get the book!

Matthew Park said...

The videos look like something out of the Star Wars universe. The robots look like General Grievous and the blades in the last video look completely like vibroblades from KOTOR.