Dec 18 2008Sonnenfeld Directing Anti-Alien-Attack-Book Movie
MGM has signed Barry Sonnenfeld on to direct and produce The How-To Guide for Saving the World, a script based around a schlub finding what is essentially a "how-to" guide for saving the world and using it:
"World" tells the story of a loser who discovers a book on how to prevent an alien invasion and then has to put that knowledge to use when one actually occurs. Grabinski's script landed enough votes among executives to make this year's unofficial Black List of "most liked" screenplays."I loved the writing and the concept: What would happen if, one afternoon, the secret group that protects Earth from alien invaders was wiped out?" Sonnenfeld said. "Fortunately, they left behind an instruction manual for saving Earth. Unfortunately, a non-action-hero guy -- not unlike me in terms of manliness -- and a woman who hates him find the book and have to save the planet from an impending attack."
I'm betting the book on how to stop an alien attack looks extremely similar to the screenplay for Independence Day. Implausible heroism and computer viruses will always be our first and only defense against invasion.
Reader Comments
1. Brian - December 18, 2008 6:57 PM
Firstiggitty-Fo'Shiggitty
2. Captain FuckFace - December 18, 2008 8:35 PM
Feel's like a bootleg version of hitchhikers guide to the galaxy....egh...
3. K lee - December 19, 2008 12:23 AM
@ 2 - that's what I thought also. Like the concept emerged from someone thinking of similar words to replace "hitchhiker's guide" and "galaxy" and went from there. But maybe it will be good...
4. Slartibartfast - December 19, 2008 1:51 AM
@ 2 & 3
pft, the guide never prevented the destruction of earth or guide anyone to stop the vogons. in fact it was the guide itself that completely destroyed earth & all its analogs in 'mostly harmless'.
5. rawrdinosaur - December 19, 2008 7:16 AM
@ 4.)
I agree that it's not a line-by-line ripoff/homage to the book series or even that awful movie, but it does stink of quirky/kitschy Hitchhiker-esque sensibilities if you will. For me, it was the first time that popped into mah head.
6. rawrdinosaur - December 19, 2008 7:17 AM
*thing, not time.
Too early.. back to my cryo-chamber...
7. jaime - December 19, 2008 9:40 AM
the most unlikely part of the plot is the part where the "hero" doesn't give the manual to the DOD, the DHS, the CIA, or even the freaking KKK(at least they have guns).
8. TommyP - December 20, 2008 5:28 AM
This script obviously has "Made in Japan" on it somewhere - sounds too original for a Hollywood script (despite some obvious homages).
#7 - If YOU found a manual for saving the world from any sort of disaster, would YOU give it to the Pentagon or any three letter agency of the U.S. gov't?
The KKK don't read books...