Nicolas Cage has faced off against an ungodly assortment of foes on the silver screen over the years. He's taken on airborne criminals, rogue marines, bees ("They're in my eyes!"), and recently even Osama Bin Laden. Seriously, the guy's filmography is a glorious cornucopia of nonsense. However, it seems that his latest project will use Virtual Reality to send him up against one of his most dangerous and topical threats yet: global warming.
We've official learned that Nic Cage will soon take on the lead role in the upcoming sci-fi/action thriller, The Humanity Bureau. Taking place in the American Midwest in 2030, The Humanity Bureau imagines a version of the United States that has been ravaged by the effects of global warming. In order to cope with a devastating economic recession that has plagued the country, a government organization called The Humanity Bureau banishes people that do not contribute to society to a remote colony called New Eden. Enter Nic Cage's character -- a Humanity Bureau employee who cannot bring himself to banish a single mother and her son who do not deserve that type of punishment. What follows is a race against time to rescue these two innocent people and expose the secrets of his shady employer.
If that premise excites you then don't worry; you're not alone. That story is about as "Nic Cage" as a modern Nic Cage movie can possibly get, and we're so on board with that.
Right off the bat it's clear that The Humanity Bureau is going to use a number of concepts that have worked quite well in the past. For starters, it's bringing the notable, hot button issue of global warming to the forefront of its story in order to create a thematically resonate narrative. There's also an instantly recognizable influence from the 2013 sci-fi thriller Snowpiercer, in the sense that the film revolves around a section of humanity trying to put the pieces back together after global warming (combined with man's own hubris) has made portions of the earth inhospitably cold.
One of the most interesting things about The Humanity Bureau is the fact that it will utilize some genuinely pioneering technology to create the most intense experience possible for audiences. Using the new "Barco Escape" format, the filmmakers will be able to implement unprecedented levels of immersion by creating a film that quite literally surrounds the viewer. Beyond that, it has also been revealed that certain scenes in the movie will even be filmed in Virtual Reality. You will be able to see the global warming coming right at you.
We will bring you any and all relevant details related to the production of The Humanity Bureau as new information becomes available to us. The film begins production this week, but it does not have an official release date yet. Stay tuned for more details!
