Apple to Adapt William Gibson's Cyberpunk Novel 'Neuromancer' for TV+

[MacRumors]

Apple is working on a TV adaptation of William Gibson's acclaimed 1984 cyberpunk sci-fi novel Neuromancer, the company announced on Wednesday.

The new 10-episode drama will be created by Graham Roland and JD Dillard as a co-production between Skydance Television and Anonymous Content. "Neuromancer" will also be produced by Drake's DreamCrew Entertainment, with Roland serving as show runner and Dillard set to direct the pilot episode.

From the TV+ press release:

The series will follow a damaged, top-rung super-hacker named Case who is thrust into a web of digital espionage and high stakes crime with his partner Molly, a razor-girl assassin with mirrored eyes aiming to pull a heist on a corporate dynasty with untold secrets.

"We're incredibly excited to be bringing this iconic property to Apple TV+," said creators and executive producers Roland and Dillard. "Since we became friends nearly 10 years ago, we've looked for something to team up on, so this collaboration marks a dream come true. 'Neuromancer' has inspired so much of the science fiction that's come after it and we're looking forward to bringing television audiences into Gibson's definitive 'cyberpunk' world."

The debut novel by Gibson, Neuromancer has been praised as one of the first and most-respected works within the cyberpunk genre and has received numerous accolades, including the Nebula Award, the Philip K. Dick Award and the Hugo Award. The novel served as the first book in the "Sprawl" trilogy and was followed by Count Zero and Mona Lisa Overdrive.

Gibson's work introduced a gritty, technologically saturated view of the future that was revolutionary at the time. The author's vision introduced the now-familiar concepts of cyberspace (a term Gibson is credited with popularizing), virtual reality, and AI, presenting them in a way that was both innovative and prophetic.

Apple TV+ has become something of a sanctuary for unique science fiction, featuring everything from renowned novels such as "Foundation" and "Silo" to original series like "For All Mankind" and "Severance." Apple TV+‌ received a price increase in October, and the service now costs $9.99 per month in the U.S. for new and existing subscribers.

Article Link: Apple to Adapt William Gibson's Cyberpunk Novel 'Neuromancer' for TV+

 

[orbital~debris]

Apple TV+ has become something of a sanctuary for unique science fiction, featuring everything from renowned novels such as "Foundation" and "Silo" to original series like "For All Mankind" and "Severance." Apple TV+‌ received a price increase in October, and the service now costs $9.99 per month in the U.S. for new and existing subscribers.

Apple TV+ is worth it just for these alone.
Looking forward to this additional science-fiction.

 

[Steve121178]

Sounds like something that will appeal to many of us who are in to sci-fi. Looking forward to watching it...

 

[Rradcircless]

This is good news, there is not enough cyberpunk content out there. Last night I began Blade Runner 2049 and it was mesmerising.

 

[gram|in]

Id love to see apple take on David Moody's Autumn books - the first book was made into a Dexter Fletcher film a few years ago, but it was awful! A series on the books could be right up apple's ally and could reinvigorate the whole zombie genre after TWD downfall

 

[Eldaerenth Faexidor]

Sci-fi is the best! Good job Apple!

 

[MGrayson3]

Strange that there hasn't been a Neuromancer adaptation in the four decades since it came out. Instead, we got things like The Matrix.

 

[Aaargh!]

I wish they did Snow Crash

 

[robotica]

Love apples dedication to science fiction 😊

 

[AndyUnderscoreR]

As long as they don't randomly decide to re-write it so the main character commits suicide at the end of series 1 then a few months laster quietly cancel the show, which is how Amazon treated viewers of their William Gibson adaptation "The Peripheral".

 

[hj8ag]

Wonder how Chris Cunningham is feeling right now

 

[krspkbl]

Cool. Will definitely be watching it.

 

[AndiG]

Cool. Will definitely be watching it.

I would have love to see this trilogy filmed by the producers of "the Expanse" or "Altered Carbon".
Hopefully Apple doesn't remove sexuality or violence from all scenes ....

Please Apple, don't brand the Ono-Sendai deck with an Apple logo.

 

[SatanGirl]

Yay I need to finish reading it though first as I vaguely remember losing it somewhere in the depths of an ebook solid state memory

 

[PBG4 Dude]

OK, this will get me to pay for a month of ATV+ . Neuromancer and the two follow up books are some of my favorite sci-fi reading.

 

[ric22]

I would have love to see this trilogy filmed by the producers of "the Expanse" or "Altered Carbon".
Hopefully Apple doesn't remove sexuality or violence from all scenes ....

Please Apple, don't brand the Ono-Sendai deck with an Apple logo.

There was something good in Altered Carbon and I was disappointed there was no third season, but it was far from perfect. Too much was dull, the pacing was off, it felt cheap and pretend at times.... which was a shame, as it had some good elements. It wasn't something I'd recommend to someone else, even if parts of it were fun and the concepts were generally interesting.

All in all, I wouldn't be very keen on seeing those same producers handed big money for another sci-fi series.

 

[Kar98]

And hopefully they're doing a better job with it than Amazon with "The Peripheral". That one pissed me off so bad :/

 

[skottichan]

PLEASE...please please have Keanu reprise his role of Johnny in a flashback.

I kinda would love to see Jenny Ortega or Rosa Salazar as Molly. Who to play Case... gods I don't know. As a kid I envisioned Rutger Hauer, now, I'm kinda thinking Will Poulter.

Yeah, I am excited.

 

[KurtWilde]

PLEASE...please please have Keanu reprise his role of Johnny in a flashback.

I kinda would love to see Jenny Ortega or Rosa Salazar as Molly. Who to play Case... gods I don't know. As a kid I envisioned Rutger Hauer, now, I'm kinda thinking Will Poulter.

Yeah, I am excited.

Rumor of Apple adapting this goes back at least a year and rumor is their first choice is Miles Teller as Case.

 

[dugbug]

I hope this gets silo/severance quality. Those are the best and only good scifi on the channel (and they are REALLY good).

 

[AndiG]

There was something good in Altered Carbon and I was disappointed there was no third season, but it was far from perfect. Too much was dull, the pacing was off, it felt cheap and pretend at times.... which was a shame, as it had some good elements. It wasn't something I'd recommend to someone else, even if parts of it were fun and the concepts were generally interesting.

All in all, I wouldn't be very keen on seeing those same producers handed big money for another sci-fi series.

I found the Character damn good, the AI hotel, technology, violence - yeah Ihit fast forward sometimes, but in the ned I loved the movies nad watched them several times ...

But like the Expanse, SciFi doesn't seem to attract enough viewers. But I'm glad to seem good movies like Cowboy BeBop. Just the Apple logo doesn't go hand in hand with cyberpunk.

 

[aloysiusfreeman]

This is very promising. Sci-Fi has been treated rather well with AppleTV and hope the trend continues

 

[mjcharlton71]

Wonder how Chris Cunningham is feeling right now

Probably a bit of a Windowlicker?

 

[maruyama]

I hope they lean in to the retro-futuristic elements rather than trying to update it. I’ll be over the moon if this is a proper 80s tech fever dream of faxes and phone booths mixed with AI and cybernetics.

Apple is no stranger to retrofuturism, so I’m hopeful that this can live up to its potential.

 

[mimeArtist]

Wonder if Chris Cunningham will be brought on board at all, or if his vision differed too much. Often think sometimes people can love a project too much that they never get it how’d they like it, so end up never creating it.