An extraterrestrial force and an authoritarian society are just some of the juicy sci-fi tenets to be found in the official synopsis for Captive State, Rupert Wyatt’s original thriller currently brewing in development.
Starring Ashton Sanders and 10 Cloverfield Lane‘s John Goodman, the futuristic romp takes place in a nondescript Chicago neighborhood that’s become home to a foreign invader. Wyatt dreamed up the idea late last year, and Captive State heralds the director’s first foray behind the lens for a feature film since his so-so crime drama The Gambler. That doesn’t necessarily mean Wyatt has been idly twiddling his thumbs, given he helmed the pilot episode for Amazon’s redo of The Exorcist.
Now, he’s primed to venture back into the realm of sci-fi for his latest creative endeavor. A 2018 release date is the target, and the official synopsis reads as so: “Captive State is a sci-fi thriller set in a Chicago neighborhood nearly a decade after it has been occupied by an extraterrestrial force. Captive State uses a grounded sci-fi setting to shine light on the modern surveillance state and the threats to civil liberties and the role of dissent within an authoritarian society.”
Wyatt, who hit the big time with his surprisingly excellent Rise of the Planet of the Apes six years ago, will direct from his own script, though there are no further casting announcements to report beyond the addition of Sanders. On paper, Captive State looks to be a different brand of alien invasion, opting for a more thought-provoking picture – themes of xenophobia and mass surveillance continue to be just as timely in 2017 – than your standard ‘human vs. other’ setup. Here’s hoping Rupert Wyatt can do good on that potential.
