
EXCLUSIVE: Imagine Entertainment is moving forward with a new version of George Orwell’s 1984. Noah Oppenheim has been set to adapt the cautionary tale about a totalitarian future society, and a man whose job it is to rewrite history tries a bit of rebellion by falling in love, a move that runs afoul of Big Brother. The new version of 1984 is being produced by Imagine’s Brian Grazer, along with Julie Yorn and Rick Yorn.
Oppenheim’s scripting The Secret Life of Houdini, which has Gary Ross attached at Summit, and the remake of Daniel Espinosa’s Snabba Cash and a remake of War Games. He’s repped by CAA and Management 360. 1984 will be exec produced by Gina Rosenblum, who was producer of the last major adaptation of Orwell’s classic, the Michael Radford-directed film that starred John Hurt as Winston Smith. Street artist Shepard Fairey will also be exec producer.


I know I’ll join the chorus of others, but: no need to remake this. John Hurt was incredible.
True, he was, but that film was already a remake of the 1956 one. And it was hobbled by a very small budget that makes it feel more like TV at times. A big budget adaptation, as long as it’s faithful, could be great.
Good! This was about due for a new telling.
It just makes me sad. 1984 and War Games. I mean, if someone truly has a great angle, hook, story to tell – good for them. But all that has happened to movies over the last few years, like I said – it just makes me said. -movie lover
Nope, this is timely and worthy of a remake.
There’s no reason to remake this. Even if Ron directs this he won’t get better actors than Hurt and Burton. A waste of money.
Shouldn’t they retitle it? Title seems a bit irrelevant 38 years after the fact.
No, I don’t think so, the whole 1984 is not so much a date rather a reference to totalitarian regimes, so I think it is still relevant and appropriate.
Absolutely unnecessary. It’d be more interesting if they adapted Anthony Burgess’s 1985.
Christ, how many times are they going to keep remaking this film? The film Industry is getting more and more boring each day.
3 times in 60 years is too many? How many times has Hamlet been filmed? The book is a classic, ripe for reinterpretation.
Great writer for this project. Exciting news!
Has this writer written anything original, or does he just adapt already great books and movies? Create your own shot a little. I say this as a WGA member who has done both many times. It’s easy to stand on great source material, keep getting the checks, and never step up to tell your own stories.
If anyone in Hollywood reads this that matters…
PLEASE PLEASE STOP F*CKING REMAKING OLD MOVIES AND FOR THE LOVE OF GOD ENOUGH OF THE SEQUELS!!!
Well does this concept bring us home to an interesting stories. I always say that a good read starts with a good write. And could Orwell create remarkable imagination.
Further proof that there is not one single original idea left in Hollywood.
So, how are we to suspend disbelief as we watch a movie about the future year of 1984 in . . . 2012?! (Yes, I know they’ll have to update it to a different year but, then, it won’t really be an adaptation of “1984″, will it?
I just re-read the article and realized that Oppenheim is bucking to become the King of the Remakes.
Doubt it’ll be as good as the original. No way Grazer ends it as well as Orwell!
Oh… That’s gonna be so sick. Wonder how it ends…
Good luck adapting Orwell, Grazer!
I hope it has a happy ending this time!
Damn, I waited too long to start writing my miniseries adaptation… Still though I can’t wait to see what they do with this.