Director Darren Aronofsky is moving from mastering the scale of a great Biblical flood in his 2014 drama Noah to taking on The Year of the Flood. The Black Swan director has been tapped to possibly helm a drama series on HBO, based on an acclaimed trilogy of dystopian “speculative” sci-fi novels from author Margaret Atwood. Aronofsky is already signed on to executive produce MaddAddam through his Protozoa Pictures banner, and he definitely has the credentials to direct as well.
The trilogy of novels include Atwood’s Oryx and Crake (2003), The Year of the Flood (2009) and MaddAddam (2013). The series takes place during the mid-21st century, where corporate villains reign, governments have fallen, and society has embraced genetic modifications. Much of the story occurs after a Waterless Flood (i.e. a man-made plague) has wiped out most of civilization. The characters focused on in Atwood’s novels consist of some of the survivors from a shattered community trying to band together and fend off the menace around them.
After his visionary looks at history, the future and the collapse of civilization with The Fountain and Noah, Aronofsky could be just the right match for Atwood’s dark, devastating dystopia. MaddAddam will be Protozoa Pictures’ first collaboration with HBO since Aronofsky signed a three-year deal with the cable network in January. Noah co-scribe (and Protozoa president) Ari Handel and producer Brandi-Ann Milbradt, who is conveniently engaged to the Oscar-nominated director, will serve as executive producers on the series.
With three of their beloved dramas going off the air this year (The Newsroom, True Blood and Boardwalk Empire), HBO has room to bring in a massive dramatic undertaking. The density of Atwood’s series fits the parameters of television much better than a feature and with someone like Aronofsky at the helm, MaddAddam is definitely a series worth getting excited for.
