I am sure everyone is eagerly anticipating the next film from Joe Cornish. I haven’t found anyone yet who didn’t love ATTACK THE BLOCK. Cornish’s name has been thrown around to direct everything from superhero movies to an upcoming STAR WARS, so believe it when everyone was excited to learn he would be helming a live action adaptation of the comic RUST: VISTORS IN THE FIELD by Royden Lepp. Well, Cornish has left the project which now may fall into the hands of director Carlos Saldanha.
Saldanha is known for his work in animated films such as ICE AGE, ROBOTS, and both RIO and the upcoming sequel RIO 2. This would be Saldanha’s first live action project. According to The Wrap, the director is in negotiations currently with 20th Century Fox. RUST was adapted by THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA screenwriter Aline Brosh McKenna and tells a pretty interesting story:
A high-octane adventure in the vein of “E.T.,” story follows a family of farmers struggling in the wake of a devastating world war. Their lives are changed when Jet Jones, a young boy with a jetpack, crashes into their barn while being pursued by a giant decommissioned war robot. The family must then decide whether the secrets of Jet’s past holds the key to their survival.
A post-apocalyptic adventure with hints of E.T., THE ROCKETEER, and THE IRON GIANT? This sounds more suited as an animated film but could be really cool if handled properly in live action. Hopefully Saldanha is up to the task and follows in the footsteps of others who jumped from toons like Brad Bird and Andrew Stanton. No reason was given for Cornish’s exit, but he is working on an adaptation of the cult novel SNOW CRASH for the studio.