6.2.2 Have any of Isaac Asimov's books or stories been made into a movie?
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This article is from the Isaac Asimov FAQ, by Edward J. Seiler ejseiler@earthlink.net and John H. Jenkins jenkins@mac.com with numerous contributions by others.
6.2.2 Have any of Isaac Asimov's books or stories been made into a movie?
Bicentennial Man:
The movie was based on Asimov's short story "The Bicentennial Man" and
Robert Silverberg's novelization The Positronic Man , and was released in
the U.S. on December 17, 1999. The Touchstone Pictures production starred
Robin Williams as Andrew Martin, and was directed by Chris Columbus.
Foundation:
The rights to a Foundation movie were purchased in 1994, but as the
I, Robot experience illustrates, it remains to be seen if a film will
ever be produced and released.
Nightfall:
A movie named Nightfall was made after a group in Hollywood bought the
rights from Doubleday in the late 1980's. The movie plot had practically
no relation to the story, and by all accounts is truly and thoroughly
awful. Asimov was never consulted in the making of it, and completely
disowned any responsibility for it.
Nightfall was released in 1988, starring David Birney and Sarah
Douglas; directed by Paul Mayersberg; running time 83 minutes. If you
should happen to have a chance to view it, run, don't walk, the other way.
Another version of Nightfall was made and released directly to DVD in
2000, starring David Carradine and Robert Stevens, directed by Gwyneth
Libby, with a running time 85 minutes. By all accounts, it too is
dreadful.
Light Years:
An animated science fiction film from France, for which Asimov took the
original, poorly done translation to English, and reworked the translation
into good English. He did not have any part in writing the script or
story, concerning a warrior that begins an adventure into the future in a
search to discover the unseen evil force that is destroying his world.
Light Years was released in 1988; directed by Rene Laloux, running
time 79 minutes.
Sleeper:
Asimov's work on Woody Allen's 1973 science fiction spoof was very
minor. In 1972, Asimov was asked, as an expert in science and science
fiction, to read over the script and identify any mistakes that Allen, who
knew relatively little about those subjects, might have made. Asimov, who
was a fan of Allen's, read the script and loved it, and stated flatly that
it was perfect and needed no changes. Asimov was offered the position of
technical director for the movie, but refused, since that would require a
lot of travel. Instead he recommended Ben Bova, who took the job "and did
very well".
The Ugly Little Boy:
This short story was made into a film by Encyclopedia Brittanica in the 1970s.
Star Trek - The Motion Picture:
At the request of Gene Roddenberry, Asimov provided advice for this
picture, and was listed at the very end of the credits as the Science
Adviser.
I, Robot:
In August 1967, John Mantley, the producer of the television show
"Gunsmoke" expressed interest in Asimov's robot stories, and paid for
option rights. The option was renewed every year for the next twelve
years until finally the rights to produce a movie were bought. After
Asimov refused to do the screen adaptation, Harlan Ellison was hired, and
though he wrote a screenplay in that Asimov was greatly pleased with, the
movie was never made. Ellison tells the story of his battle with
Hollywood in the introduction to I, Robot: The Illustrated Screenplay ,
published in December 1994.
Fantastic Voyage:
Rather than an Asimov story made into a movie, FV is a movie for which
Asimov wrote a novelization of the screenplay. Initially he considered
such a project as beneath his dignity, but then warmed to the idea once he
realized that he could include a lot of anatomy and physiology. In his
book he tried to correct some of the most glaring flaws in the screenplay,
but nevertheless felt uncomfortable about the whole idea of
miniaturization. (His dissatisfaction eventually led him to write
Fantastic Voyage II .) Asimov wrote so much faster than the movie was
produced that the book came out half a year before the movie was released,
giving the mistaken impression that the movie was based on the book. He
is not listed in the credits of the movie because he had no part in its
production.
Fantastic Voyage was released in 1966, starring Raquel Welch, Edmond
O'Brien, and Donald Pleasance; directed by Richard Fleischer; running time
100 minutes.
Evidence:
In September of 1946, Asimov sold the movie, radio, and television
rights to the short story "Evidence" for $250 to Hollywood director Orson
Welles. Welles never made a movie from the story.
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