Steven Spielberg has been one of the most influential storytellers of the current generation of filmmakers and moviegoers. Nowhere is that more evident than in the novel Ready Player One, which was written by author Ernest Cline as a love letter to his 80's childhood, and his love of the movies from Spielberg's canon. But don't take our word for it, as a new featurette shown below has Cline admitting just that, in-between new looks at the fictional world he created:
Awash with clips from Steven Spielberg's entire resume, this fantastic Ready Player One video eventually gives way to some new and repeated footage from the latest film to come from his hand. In particular, we see Tye Sheridan's Wade Watts pursued by some rather imposing-looking drones, as well as an extended look at his neighborhood in "The Stacks" of Columbus, Ohio. All throughout, there's some added details on display that flesh out the world of Wade and the Oasis. Throw in a trailer-fied version of a-Ha's "Take On Me," and you've got a pretty nice tease for this anticipated movie.
But, of course, this next look at Ready Player One sees a focus on just how much Steven Spielberg influenced Ernest Cline, as well as how much Cline has wowed his mentor with his best-selling novel. The author admits that without movies like Jaws, Back to the Future, and Raiders of the Lost Ark, he probably wouldn't have created the Ready Player One everyone knows and love now. And yet, Spielberg is amazed by how forward thinking the novel was, with a future he feels is pretty on track with where we're headed.
The ultimate parity between these two minds has arrived at one conclusion: the world has become so bleak that its populous is turning to the biggest, best entertainment to escape reality. And much like James Halliday, the inventor of Ready Player One's Oasis, Steven Spielberg is a purveyor of such thrills. But at the same time, both geniuses try to infuse the constant theme of hope for a better tomorrow, courtesy of the heroes that fight to defend it. Much as Spielberg's movies attempt to inspire the world with its heroic struggles, the fight for a free and public Oasis is very much as Spielbergian quest. Now, with that very director adapting a world that's influenced heavily by his own silver screen dreams, it seems as if Ready Player One has come full circle in the most visually dazzling way.
We'll see the results of this collaboration when Ready Player One hits theaters on March 30th. But if you're looking for a fix of Spielberg's finest, you should check out The Post, which is currently in wide release this very moment.
