I have been re-listening to Ready Player One – and it has made me go from “dislike” to “UGH THE WORST” on the movie. I have moved my dial from “well, you can tell it was “inspired by” to “were they even trying?!?” And I know, they probably had a ton of difficulty getting rights to stuff (stupid copyright holders probably being greedy, selfish, bastards).
But part of the problem is containing that scale into a movie. I have been tumbling through my Plex list of movies and IMDB to see if I can think of a single movie that gives a scale to the universe that RPO should have had and honestly, the closest I get is Star Wars IV A New Hope, but that is journey movie – they have 3 major locations (Tattoine, Death Star/Alderaan, and Yavin) and they are SO DIFFERENT it helps. Now, it might also be that I grew up so entangled in all three of the orignal movies my mind immediately includes all that information when I watch the first one. I won’t say I can 100% I disassociate from them.
The Pilot episode would definitely be about Wade getting to the Tomb. Episode 2 would be getting through the tomb & end as Art3mis comes in with drawn blade. Episode 3 would be like 1/2 chat with Art3mis.
It would have to be more than Wade. In my TV show, there would be a side plot that develops pretty early in Season 1 (probably episode ~4-5) of 3 sixers who hate IOI. One would be indentured. One would be the “disaffected rich kid” (daddy works for IOI) who can’t win anyway ’cause of Daddy. The third…. I haven’t decided. Maybe just a smart-but-truly-socially-inept young girl who got conned into it and only after the contract was signed understood the true cost? Maybe starts out as a “true blue” and gets disaffected later?
Anyway, I would build out the world of sixers with a “sympathetic inside team.” Their plot lines would revolve around seeking some of the high-profile artifacts that show up at the end game – like the tablet the sixers use to find the 2nd key. These three would be the ones that found it/acquired it. Instead of just “buying” all these at auctions – sixers need to keep their skills up and these three do… They hate IOI, but it’s “work or worse” for all of them.
They would also get to have “personal avatars” and I think one of them (maybe the third poorly defined character) would have a romantic relationship with H – at first hoping to use H to find shit out and then realized H is amazing and she can’t imagine not being in love with him (her). Kind of a truth to pansexuals of “I don’t care what your gender is – I love YOU” towards the end. They would have to meet on the final battlefield and the poor sixer chick knows who H is but H doesn’t know it’s her…. oh it would be beautiful tension!
I understand that not all IP’s were willing to get in on a movie – but maybe if they could be a shown a script that shows the depth and beauty of how their specific IP will be loved and honored…
I know, I’m all kinds of adorably naive about greed and whatnot. Maybe HBO will pick me up and buy the TV rights…. We know they can do special effects right!
Dream by Day 