Imagine Entertainment to adapt '1984'

George Orwell's classic novel "1984" is set for a new feature adaptation from Imagine Entertainment.

The novel was first published in 1949.

Deadline is reporting the studio has tapped Noah Oppenheim to adapt the book, which was published in 1949. The new film will be produced by Brian Glazer, Julie Yorn and Rick Yorn.

The novel tells of a dystopian future in which Big Brother rules over the people of Oceania with an iron fish and an all-seeing eye. Winston Smith, whose job it is to rewrite history as needed, dreams of rebelling and discovers a way to do so when he falls in love.

Director Michael Radford adapted the novel for the 1984 feature film with John Hurt portraying Winston Smith. Gina Rosenblum, who was a producer on the original adaptation, will serve as executive producer here.


Oppenheim is currently working on the script for director Gary Ross' "The Secret Life of Houdini." He was also tapped last August to write the script for MGM's "War Games" remake.

Ron Howard shopping 'The Dark Tower' to find new backers

The journey to Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" maybe not be over quite yet, but Universal Picture's decision not to move forward with ambitious project has delayed the adaptation by at least a year.

The project may not be dead after all.

Producer Brian Grazer spoke with The New York Post's Page Six, saying Ron Howard is now "trying to get outside financing to make it, and distribute it through a major [studio]."

Howard and Grazer had planned their adaptation of King's seven-novel series as three movies combined with a pair of television series to tell the story of Roland Deschain's journey to the titular tower. At one point, Javier Bardem ("No Country for Old Men") was in talks to star as Roland.

In July, however, Universal passed on the project, willing only to commit to the first film after receiving scripts from Akiva Goldsman ("I Am Legend," "A Beautiful Mind") for the film and television series. This wasn't good enough for Howard and Glazer and the deal fell through.

According to Page Six, Glazer said they plan to still pursue a television component to the adaptation, but no longer with Universal's NBC. Instead they are looking to other networks or perhaps Netflix to bring "The Dark Tower" to the screen.

The delay, however, means Ron is moving forward with "Rush," about Formula One racer Niki Lauda, and Grazer is working on "J. Edgar," which stars Leonardo DiCaprio.

"The soonest we could do ["The Dark Tower"] would be June next year," Grazer told Page Six.