Despite being an intriguing filmmaker with a dark yet tender sensibility, director Alex Proyas has had a spotted filmography. He broke through in 1994 with his incredibly cool yet heartbreaking revenge thriller The Crow. Despite the film's success, Proyas was haunted by the productions many accidents, including one that took the life of his star, Brandon Lee. It was four years before Proyas returned to helm another feature. Sadly, in spite of mostly positive reviews, the bittersweet Dark City proved a dud at the box office. Since then he's seen success with I, Robot and the Nicolas Cage-fronted Knowing, yet has still struggled to get his adaptation of Paradise Lost off the ground.
In the wake of reports that Paradise Lostis dead, Proyas has reason to celebrate. Deadline reports that he has secured backing from Red Granite Pictures to create a movie adaptation of Robert A. Heinlein's mystery novella The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag. The story centers on Mr. Hoag, who has abruptly realized he can no longer recall how he spent his day. Fearful that he may be up to something criminal in the hours he has lost, Hoag hires a married pair of detectives to track him and report back, and so uncovers the beginnings of an even deeper mystery involving shadowy figures that warn against further exploration.
Proyas has confessed to having adored Heinlein's sci-fi tales since he was a child, and has cited this novella in particular as an inspiration in creating Dark City. It's fitting then that Proyas has penned the script for The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag himself, and is set to direct and produce the film under the banner of his Australia-based production company, Mystery Clock Cinema. It seems this will be a real passion project for the Aussie auteur, which has me really hoping this one will get made.
The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag is shooting to go into production this fall in Australia.
