Roland Emmerich, Hollywood’s undisputed master of cinematic destruction, is remaining firmly in the genre of disaster porn for his next project.
It’s called Moonfall and, according to Deadline, has been snapped up by Universal in a deal said to be in the seven-figure ballpark. Working from his own spec script, the sci-fi flick paves the way for a reunion between Emmerich and Harald Kloser after 2012, who will be working closely with Spencer Cohen on the screenplay.
Boasting an all-too-familiar premise of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary circumstances, Moonfall is said to follow “an unlikely band of misfits who must unite to save humanity when the moon falls out of orbit and hurtles towards earth.” Hence the title.
Taking the global scope of 2012 and infusing it with the sci-fi elements of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, Moonfall stands as the seventh collaboration between Emmerich and Kloser and by this stage in the game, the two have developed something of a knack for big-screen spectacle. Beyond that, the former is also attached to an as-yet-untitled Battle of Midway movie.
Universal is reportedly keen to fast-track Moonfall into development. Independence Day: Resurgence, meanwhile, ushers in the summer blockbuster season today, June 24 – and Emmerich is already dreaming up possible scenarios for a sequel. In related news, you can also have a gander at our verdict of Resurgence as it looks to occupy the box office standings going into the weekend.
