# Steven Spielberg to direct Ready Player One adaptation **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 27, 2015, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139 "2015-03-27T18:16:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/61 "2017-07-25T12:01:17Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Yeah they need to get War Games before Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, at least if they care about being true to the source material (which they do not in any way appear to care about as you can see in the handy graphic below). > > Here is the source material:X \<---------------------------------far distance----------------------------------- keep going -----------------------more -----------bit more-----------------------------\> Trailer Someone should get a hold of this Ernest Cline guy they got butchering the script and tell him to stop messing with the author’s vison. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/62 "2017-07-25T12:39:02Z")
Honestly? Spielberg is a better director than Cline is a writer. He can do what he wants. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/63 "2017-07-25T12:43:56Z")
True enough. Ready Player One was an amazing experience. Armada was less so. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/64 "2017-07-25T18:56:29Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > Honestly? Spielberg is a better director than Cline is a writer. He can do what he wants. Given that Spielberg made “Jaws,” “Munich,” and “Catch Me If You Can,” he is in fact living proof that a filmmaker can improve upon the work of an author. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/65 "2017-07-25T19:06:54Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Given that Spielberg made “Jaws,” “Munich,” and “Catch Me If You Can,” he is in fact living proof that a filmmaker can improve upon the work of an author. I’d go further. I think his Jurassic Park is better than the book. So is Minority Report(which is a neat, but not great, story). Then again, Tintin was less than its source and even he could not save Crystal Skull from its bad story(though I actually like both of these movies). ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/66 "2017-07-25T19:34:42Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Yes, they were a bit one-note in the book. But what’s wrong with samurai avatars? That is exactly what a lot of Japanese boys would do. They could lose a lot of the lame dialogue though, I agree. I’m not so sure about the samurai choice. I’d think Japanese versions of Wade (obsessed with the 80/90s due to the egg hunt) would choose early anime/manga characters or be some sort of techno-samurai. A sword-wielding schoolgirl would be more likely. Then there’s the issue of making _one_ character black, overweight, and a lesbian. I’m curious which aspect they drop for the movie - knowing Hollywood, I predict she’s now thin. (That was a twist for me, btw - I thought Arty was black). > [@Raguleader](#): > > Someone should get a hold of this Ernest Cline guy they got butchering the script and tell him to stop messing with the author’s vision. 😃 You see in the credits where it’s Ernest Cline and Zak Penn? I’m guessing that Cline wrote the initial draft to make the book somewhat filmable, after which Spielberg and a professional screenwriter had their way with it - which I’m not saying is a bad way to go. I couldn’t finish **Armada**. ---
**Author:** ![Wednesday\_Evening](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b2d939/32.png) [@Wednesday\_Evening](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wednesday_Evening)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/67 "2017-07-25T19:53:03Z")
I am so excited for the movie! I was a teenager in the 80s so I am looking forward to a fun romp with lots of 80s nostalgia. > [@epbrown01](#): > > I’d recommend it to anyone - it’s a quick, fun read, and even if you know nothing about 80s culture, the book goes into exhaustive detail. It doesn’t stand up to re-reading; Cline’s not that great a writer overall and all that detail bogs it down the next time through. This is spot on. I thought it was amazing after the first read but the second read wasn’t nearly as satisfying. I still think it is a fun book though. My 13-year-old video-game-obsessed son adores it and has read it over and over. ---
**Author:** ![Driver8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5a626/32.png) [@Driver8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Driver8)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/68 "2017-07-25T20:27:30Z")
I sort of remember enjoying the book, but not being amazingly engaged with it. This trailer looks really underwhelming to me. I’m actually surprised to know that it’s Spielberg. I think of him as a talented craftsman with a bunch of interesting movies under his belt. But the action scenes in this trailer look interchangeable with every other action movie coming out right now. They are very busy and physically implausible, and it feels like it’s trying to grab my attention by being very flashy and loud. In the end it just seems lifeless and flat, like a Michael Bay movie that’s maybe had just a little less cocaine. (Yes I know physical implausibility shouldn’t matter in a virtual world, but in my opinion that doesn’t make it more compelling to watch). If I wanted some 80s nostalgia, I wouldn’t mind if they adopted some old school film making too. Spielberg _is_ capable of much more. I don’t think the skill is lost, I’ve seen some pretty good recent movies (Dunkirk and The Big Sick) in recent weeks with skillful craft being displayed by all involved. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2017, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/69 "2017-07-25T22:49:55Z")
> [@epbrown01](#): > > You see in the credits where it’s Ernest Cline and Zak Penn? I’m guessing that Cline wrote the initial draft to make the book somewhat filmable, after which Spielberg and a professional screenwriter had their way with it - which I’m not saying is a bad way to go. That sounds accurate based on this interview from _Wired_ with Cline that was published when the book first came out. > [@](#): > > Wired: You essentially sold the book and the movie rights at the same time, right? > > Cline: Yeah, within like the span of 48 hours. There was a bidding war. > [@](#): > > Wired: What’s the status of the movie? > > Cline: I got to write the first draft of the screenplay. I had to start on that right after I finished the edits on the book and turned those in to my editor at Random House. I handed in the book and that same week I had to start on the screenplay for Warner Bros. and they wanted me to completely rework the book into a giant summer Hollywood action movie, which was like the hardest writing job of my life. > > They’re using the draft of the screenplay that I wrote to find a director now. When the director comes on board it’ll either be a writer/director or that director will hire a writer to continue developing it with the studio. So I’m done. > **[Fanboys Scribe Pens Ultimate Nerd Sci-Fi Novel, Ready Player One](https://www.wired.com/2011/08/ernie-cline-ready-player-one/)** > > Fanboys screenwriter Ernie Cline talks about his new book, its raft of '80s sci-fi references and his Back to the Future-inspired DeLorean. (No, it doesn't have a flux capacitor.) ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/70 "2017-07-26T15:42:55Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > I’d go further. I think his Jurassic Park is better than the book. I think there’s a strong argument there. While I’d have liked to see more people get eaten, “Jurassic Park” is a landmark film, one of the most influential movies ever made. The book is just another paperback. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2017, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/71 "2017-07-26T15:49:35Z")
I read somewhere that the Iron Giant is going to play a large role, which makes me think that Ultraman and/or MechaGodzilla are out. Which makes me :mad: I’ve never seen the Iron Giant and could care less about it BUT I love Godzilla and kaiju. Except Pacific Rim, that movie sucked. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2017, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/72 "2017-07-28T04:34:53Z")
Getting back to the trailer…Freddy Krueger brought knives to a gunfight and gets owned in short order. That was a poor choice of avatar, Freddy. Similarly with Batman riding a giant scorpian - cool as fuck but an easy target for ranged weapons. You’d have to choose your avatar very carefully, – I mean I’m not even sure that Freddy could even hold a Luger (to turn 'em in to spaghetti) given his hands. What avatar would you choose? I would def want more than one set of arms. Also 360 degree vision would be a plus. Wings? ---
**Author:** ![epbrown01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7ba0ec/32.png) [@epbrown01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/epbrown01)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2017, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/73 "2017-07-28T04:59:36Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > What avatar would you choose? I would def want more than one set of arms. Also 360 degree vision would be a plus. Wings? As we see Harley and Deathstroke in the trailer, it seems comics heroes are do-able for avatars, so I’d likely go that route. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2017, 7:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/74 "2017-07-28T07:51:54Z")
I’d want something like Goddess Beth, with weapons in each hand and a built in mini nuke that detonates if I die. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Burden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/958977/32.png) [@Jack\_Burden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Burden)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2017, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/75 "2017-07-28T15:12:57Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Getting back to the trailer…Freddy Krueger brought knives to a gunfight and gets owned in short order. That was a poor choice of avatar, Freddy. Similarly with Batman riding a giant scorpian - cool as fuck but an easy target for ranged weapons. You’d have to choose your avatar very carefully, – I mean I’m not even sure that Freddy could even hold a Luger (to turn 'em in to spaghetti) given his hands. > > What avatar would you choose? I would def want more than one set of arms. Also 360 degree vision would be a plus. Wings? In the scene with the scorpion, on a frame breakdown you can see it killing an ostrich and turning it into an egg, so speculation is this is part of the Joust challenge, though obviously very different from the book version. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2017, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/76 "2017-07-28T16:20:19Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Getting back to the trailer…Freddy Krueger brought knives to a gunfight and gets owned in short order. That was a poor choice of avatar, Freddy. Similarly with Batman riding a giant scorpian - cool as fuck but an easy target for ranged weapons. You’d have to choose your avatar very carefully, – I mean I’m not even sure that Freddy could even hold a Luger (to turn 'em in to spaghetti) given his hands. > > What avatar would you choose? I would def want more than one set of arms. Also 360 degree vision would be a plus. Wings? If I can get any avatar I want? Tiamat (though I don’t usually play females) or War Machine (way cooler than Iron Man). Depends on if I’m in win at all costs mode or playing for the challenge. ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/77 "2017-07-31T01:41:55Z")
> [@G0sp3l](#): > > If I can get any avatar I want? Tiamat (though I don’t usually play females) or War Machine (way cooler than Iron Man). > > Depends on if I’m in win at all costs mode or playing for the challenge. Having a think about it again, your own avatar wouldn’t come with any special skills or abilities, it would just look how you wanted it to look. You would have to level up to increase your hit points and abilities or acquire weapons by either buying them or completing quests. Having a giant robot companion or giant scorpion is just like having a weapon. So the Tiamat wouldn’t be able to breathe fire unless you bought a mod for it and that would not be cheap. I think that’s how the world works. ---
**Author:** ![G0sp3l](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c68b51/32.png) [@G0sp3l](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/G0sp3l)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/78 "2017-07-31T16:47:18Z")
> [@Isamu](#): > > Having a think about it again, your own avatar wouldn’t come with any special skills or abilities, it would just look how you wanted it to look. You would have to level up to increase your hit points and abilities or acquire weapons by either buying them or completing quests. Having a giant robot companion or giant scorpion is just like having a weapon. So the Tiamat wouldn’t be able to breathe fire unless you bought a mod for it and that would not be cheap. I think that’s how the world works. In the book world, there’s no way in hell I could afford to build Tiamat, not rich enough or a consistent enough gamer. But as a Sixer… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [July 31, 2017, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/79 "2017-07-31T21:08:17Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > The rights to Ferris Bueller’s Day Off are critical. Bizarre brain fart there. Meant “War Games.” ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [August 1, 2017, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139/80 "2017-08-01T15:15:20Z")
> [@Bricker](#): > > Bizarre brain fart there. Meant “War Games.” Although it would be kind of funny if they just swapped out for another one of his films from that era. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/steven-spielberg-to-direct-ready-player-one-adaptation/716139.md?page=5)