Following Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow, Roland Emmerich will destroy the world for the third time in the apocalyptic fantasia 2012.
You’ve probably seen the previews and posters for 2012, which opens Friday: Los Angeles melts into the ground, the USS John F. Kennedy aircraft carrier casually decimates the White House, and tidal waves consume the Himalayas.
See also:
2012 ‘s Doomsday Predecessors: An Apocalyptic Primer
But the master of big-screen disaster seems to be tiring of blowing things up.
“This is my last, quote-unquote, action-disaster movie,” Emmerich (pictured) told The New York Times recently. “I know I can’t destroy the world again. That would be kind of a joke.”
So what’s next for the filmmaker after his supposedly final bout of planetary mayhem? Fanboys have often treated Emmerich as one who doesn’t seem to understand the value of restraint, looking at him as another version of bombastic Transformers filmmaker Michael Bay.
It’s easy to see how he got the rep: In Emmerich’s 1998 Godzilla remake, the giant mangy lizard trampled New York City. And in the German director’s first feature, Universal Soldier, Jean Claude Van Damme and Dolph Ludgren seemed determined to wipe each other out (along with whatever gas stations got in the way).
But Emmerich takes these criticisms in stride and with a refreshing sincerity. He argues that he’s just being earnest in his storytelling. He calls his movies “heartfelt and true.” He has a desire to make his audience laugh, cry and, above all, scream like schoolgirls.
However honest this may be, it’s Emmerich’s love affair with superficial disaster that draws audiences in droves. With this in mind, it’s a little sad that he seems bent on abandoning his apocalyptic ways.
What on Earth will he do (and demolish) next? Here’s a look at several projects Emmerich has in the pipeline, from sci-fi to Shakespeare:
Anonymous
The scoop: Just as Emmerich rewrote the Revolutionary War in The Patriot, he plans on revealing one of histories greatest frauds: William Shakespeare. The film is being labeled a 17th-century political thriller, following the succession of Elizabeth and focusing on the Essex Rebellion. Amid the chaos, it comes to light that Willy wasn’t the great writer we deem him to be. This one’s definitely happening, as shooting is supposed to begin next March.
Potential outcome: If they manage to haggle Kiera Knightley, this will be her Showgirls and more. I mean that as a compliment. Plus, you know that Emmerich is going to have to throw in some crazy made-up, antique gadgets.
Foundation
The scoop: Robert Rodat, screenwriter of Saving Private Ryan and The Patriot, takes a stab at Isaac Asimov’s beloved Foundation series. As of now, Emmerich hasn’t seen a draft. Considering that this mythology spans several hundred years and multiple characters and books, it’s quite possible that it will be planned as a trilogy.
Potential outcome: Awesome or horrible. This is one of those situations where nitpicking, studio interference and re-imagining such an ambitious work could lead to a disaster that Emmerich doesn’t want to deal with. Remember the utter disappointment of the last Asimov adaptation, I, Robot?
Independence Day 2
The scoop: Emmerich has a script for Independence Day 2. One of the great things about the director is that he isn’t downplaying the reasons why the movie has yet to be made: 20th Century Fox isn’t willing to shell out the big bills for superstar Will Smith, nor is it interested in handing the actor some of the film’s likely obscene gross. Despite this, unless the world meets a catastrophic fate in 2012, there’s no way that this movie won’t get made.
Potential outcome: If Emmerich and Smith aren’t onboard, I’m abandoning ship. The thought of Jeff Goldblum and Vivica A. Fox blindly running around without the Fresh Prince of Bel Air’s witty guidance sounds like a ’90s sitcom.
