William Gibson’s 1984 science fiction novel Neuromancer will finally see a feature film adaptation. It's still early days, but word has it that Deadpool director, Tim Miller will be leading the cyberpunk novel’s movie project.
Neuromancer is one of the most iconic sci-fi novel of all time and was also featured in Time magazine’s list of 100 best English language novels written since 1923. The novel was key in establishing cyberpunk as a genre and other famous works of science fiction have also drawn from the book, including The Matrix, which gets its name from a reference in the novel.
The story of Neuromancer revolves around Henry Case, an out-of-work hacker who is banned from accessing a virtual reality database called the “matrix.” The plot develops as Case agrees to offer his hacking services to an AI-controlled personality called Armitage in hopes of repairing his damaged central nervous system. The word Neuromancer is actually a portmanteau of the word Neuro – related to the nerves, Romancer and Necromancer – a person who talks to the dead.
No writer has signed up for the film yet as Miller is set to finish another movie from the Terminator franchise with James Cameron, before starting the Neuromancer project. Simon Kinberg who also worked with Miller on Deadpool (and who is directing the new X-Men film) has been roped in to produce the Neuromancer movie.