Although Disney is shutting down ImageMovers, the studio behind Robert Zemeckis‘ recent digital offerings (The Polar Express, Beowulf, and A Christmas Carol), they are teaming up for another project.
Variety reports they will adapt yet-to-be-released novel Dark Life by Kat Falls. The book is set in the “near-future world in which rising ocean levels and natural catastrophes have led some people to homestead on the ocean floor, and kids to develop supernatural powers. Story centers on an underwater teenage boy and a surface girl who join forces to uncover a government conspiracy.” They are interested in making it a franchise.
It’s not certain whether this will be a mo-cap feature like the previous Zemeckis releases. Talking with TFS co-creator Dan Mecca we remarked how sad that an entire decade of work by Zemeckis was ruled inferior in one sweep by James Cameron and Avatar. It’s also a shame considering this novel actually sounds like it would suit motion capture. His latest, A Christmas Carol, had some beautiful imagery but I found it to be quite boring as we’ve seen this story over and over again. This sounds quite different. Zemeckis is also working on a Yellow Submarine remake for Disney.
The Dark Life novel will be released by Scholastic in May.
Do you want to see Zemeckis stay in mo-cap? What about this Dark Life project?