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Q: The Film. No, It's Neither Star Trek nor James Bond

By Steven Lloyd Wilson | Posted Under Trade News | Comments (10)

Q.jpg

It also doesn’t involve an actress named Maggie, and it certainly isn’t being presented to you by the Cookie Monster. Q is a time travel romance novel, a subgenre of which The Time Traveler’s Wife is apparently but the heart-wrenching tip. Buoyed by the enormous critical and commercial success emotionally manipulative exercise in mediocrity of that adaptation of a beloved and beautiful novel, Columbia Pictures has decided to roll the dice on another.

Evan Manderly’s novel has this back cover description:

Shortly before his wedding, the unnamed hero of this uncommon romance is visited by a man, claiming to be his future self, who ominously admonishes the protagonist that he must not marry the love of his life, Q. The author doubts this stranger, but in time becomes convinced of his authenticity and leaves his fiancée. The resulting void in his life is impossible to fill. One after the other, future selves arrive urging him to marry someone else, divorce, attend law school, leave law school, travel, join a running club, stop running, study the guitar, the cello, Proust, Buddhism, opera, and eliminate gluten from his diet. The only constants in this madcap quest for personal improvement are the author’s love for his New York City home and for his beloved Q. Q turns the classic story of transcendent love on its head, with an ending that will melt even the darkest heart.

I have several thoughts about this news, most conflicting with each other. First, time travel makes for fantastic stories and there should be more of them. Second, well-regarded books are always welcome to try for a faithful feature adaptation in my opinion. Third, some of the outline of this story reminds me of All You Zombies, and if done humorously certain brilliant episodes of Futurama.

Then there are the things that the rest of my brain is growling. This does not sound like it plays to any of the humor so much as it resembles Eat Pray Love with the protagonist’s future selves literally standing-in for the demands of Julia Roberts’ rampant id. Oh, and I loathe fiction that worships New York City. New York City is to cities what the Boomers are to generations. Yeah I know, I just don’t understand, just like I don’t understand how Woodstock changed the world. And I’m okay with that.

Shake that all together and what do you get? Well, it’ll probably be better than whatever Bay vomits onto the screen that summer.

(source: SlashFilm)









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Comments

The first part of that description sounds like the "Hells Bells" episode of Buffy. Of course, in that situation, Old Xander was actually a demon bent on revenge, but still. Same concept.

Posted by: KatSings at November 16, 2011 10:25 AM

'Shortly before his wedding, the unnamed hero of this uncommon romance is visited by a man, claiming to be his future self, who ominously admonishes the protagonist that he must not marry the love of his life, Q. The author doubts this stranger, but in time becomes convinced of his authenticity and leaves his fiancée.'

Happens to all of us doesn't it? Just earlier today I had unbuttoned my jeans and was mid-squat, about to sit down and take a shit, when a stranger rapped on the door and said that he was Future Me and that it was of utmost importance that I ceased the shit before I even began; that I couldn't possibly fathom the ramifications that that solitary shit would have upon my future. I was skeptical, but I pinched off and queried Future Me. He made a fairly convincing argument, and so now I'm here, ballooning rectum and all.

Luckily for me, Future Me was here for me when I needed me.

Posted by: zeke the pig at November 16, 2011 10:26 AM

with an ending that will melt even the darkest heart.

Oh, really?

So, who do we test this on? And how do we determine the owner of the darkest heart here on Pajiba? Clearly, TK is the early front runner, but a couple of the resident trolls might give him a run for his money. Could we settle for Dustin after a Bucky Larson/Jack & Jill double bill? Let's just go with the path of least resistance:

TK watches 1 Lifetime and 2 Hallmark holiday movies consecutively, at least one of which contains magic realism, and at least two of which feature former child stars and/or a former “teen pop sensation”. He watches the new Footloose during restroom breaks. TK real time reviews all three movies without benefit of alcohol. After a break to feed the people locked in his basement, he reads this book and tests the “darkest heart” hypothesis. Go science!


Posted by: Mrs. Julien at November 16, 2011 10:39 AM

That synopsis is actually really fascinating to me. Sort of The Butterfly Effect but with a logical plotline. If they can get the right actors and director and the script isn't too bad, this might be a nugget of good.

Posted by: ChristianH at November 16, 2011 12:26 PM

Why couldn't this post be about a remake of "Q: the winged serpent"?

Posted by: Harold Ballard's ghost at November 16, 2011 12:27 PM

Because, Howard Ballard's ghost, we don't live good enough lives.

Posted by: The Wanderer at November 16, 2011 12:39 PM

This sounds like a cross between Xander's wedding episode and the Adjustment Bureau.

Posted by: Amy at November 16, 2011 1:11 PM

That's what I was hoping for as well, Howard Ballard's Ghost. Goddamnit.

As for the lovely and charming Mrs. Julien, can you give me your address? I'd like to send you something. You'll love it.

Trust me.

Posted by: TK at November 16, 2011 2:48 PM

I just read this book. The book was only OK, but if they made the movie a comedy, it could work. Because, really, any attempts to take itself seriously would be no good.

The character of Q's father-in-law is rife with opportunity.

And to shameless self-promote, my review of the book is here. You'll see what I mean about the father-in-law.

Posted by: Sara H at November 16, 2011 4:32 PM

(And the ending is actually a bit "awwww" inspiring, like it says. But testing on TK might be a good option anyway!)

Posted by: Sara H at November 16, 2011 4:33 PM