Homer's great epic of Odysseus making his way back home is making its way back to the big screen - only this time the adventure is going to be in the stars as opposed to on the high seas. Warner Bros. is now developing a new adaptation of The Odyssey with a sci-fi spin and have now found the writer to pen it.
Deadline reports that first-time writer James DiLapo has been brought aboard to script the new version of hte story, which was brought to the studio by Terry Dougas of 1821 Pictures and Paris Kasidokostas Latsis. For those unaware of the story, the original book is about the Greek hero Odysseus who faces all sorts of perils while trying to make his way back home after the Battle of Troy (which they won with the help of the infamous Trojan Horse). The article doesn't mention any specifics about how the story will be adapted. The studio apparently sees franchise potential in the idea.
DiLapo is a young writer, having just graduated from New York University last year, but has already been doing quite well for himself in Hollywood. His first script, Devils At Play, both won the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' Nicholl Fellowship and a place on the 2012 Black List.
It's kind of a generic idea, but I can't see why it wouldn't work. The Coen brothers brilliantly adapted the story as a the folksy comedy O Brother Where Art Thou? and while not everybody is the Coen brothers it's not hard to see how Odysseus' boat could be replaced with a spaceship.
