If Vincenzo Natali can bring a story like Splice to life, William Gibson’s cyberpunk novel Neuromancer shouldn’t be a problem. Joseph Khan was originally attached to direct the project with Hayden Christensen in the lead role, but, according to THR, the gig now belongs to Natali.
The book follows the story of Henry Dorsett Case, a computer hacker who’s stripped of his abilities after being caught stealing from an employer. That employer doesn’t just fire him, rather punishes Case by inserting a toxic chemical into his body damaging his central nervous system. Luckily, the effects can be reversed and Case finds someone willing to do the job. But, before he’s completely cured, he must do something in return; embark on a mission involving a complicated super artificial intelligence created and controlled by the Tessier-Ashpool family. Sounds like an even trade, right?
So, is Natali the guy who’ll finally bring Neuromancer to life? Hopefully, but after a slew of development issues, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if there’s little advancement made in the near future. Whether Neuromancer comes to fruition or not, Natali still has a handful of pieces to keep him busy including Tunnels as well as his hopes to get his hands on the J.G. Ballard novel High Rise and Alan Moore’s Swamp Thing. Odds are, with Splice due out on June 4th, a large majority of press events will be packed with questions about Natali’s new ventures, so keep an eye out for a more detailed outlook from the Natali himself.
By Perri Nemiroff
