SyFy has announced his upcoming slate of book adaptations, and man are there some good ones.
Childhood’s End
An adaptation of the Arthur C. Clarke novel of the same name, Childhood’s End is a six hour miniseries that will air over December 14, 15, and 16.
Childhood’s End follows the peaceful invasion of Earth by the alien Overlords, who promise to eliminate poverty, war and sickness – ushering in a golden age of peace, health and security for all of humankind. But why do the Overlords insist on hiding their appearance – and what do they ultimately want from Earth? While much of the world enjoys its newfound utopia, some suspect there’s a price to pay. As the truth about the Overlords’ intentions are revealed, humanity will discover its actual destiny may actually be a nightmare, instead of a dream.
The Expanse
This 10 episode series, based on the Expanse book series by Daniel Abraham and Ty Franck, will also premiere on December 14.
The Expanse is set two hundred years in the future, after mankind has colonized the solar system. A hardened detective (Thomas Jane, Hung) and a rogue ship’s captain (Steven Strait, Magic City) come together for what starts as the case of a missing young woman and evolves into a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history. Emmy® winner and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo (House of Saddam, House of Sand and Fog) also stars as Chrisjen Avasarala, a smart and cunning politician who has risen in the ranks of Earth’s governing body without once standing for election.
Hyperion
Bradley Cooper is producing Hyperion, based on Dan Simmons’ Hugo Award-winning novel. There’s release date just yet.
Set on the eve of Armageddon with the entire galaxy at war, ‘Hyperion’ is the story of seven pilgrims who set forth on a voyage to seek the answers to the unsolved riddles of their lives. Each carries a desperate hope and a terrible secret — while one may hold the fate of humanity in his hands.
Gateway
Finally we have Gateway, based on the first installment in Frederik Pohl’s “Heechee Saga,” which picked up both the Hugo and Nebula awards when it was first released in 1977. Again, no release date on this one yet.
In Gateway, humanity discovers an asteroid teeming with the long abandoned spaceships of an advanced alien race — the Heechee – setting in motion a gold rush for alien artifacts and technology. The ships are preprogrammed, transporting their voyagers to distant worlds of riches — or certain death. Undaunted by the peril or the odds, prospector Robinette Broadhead gambles everything on a journey to Gateway. After one nightmare mission, he returns to extraordinary wealth and luxury, but is haunted by the loss of his crewmates, including the love of his life.
Said Bill McGoldrick, Executive Vice President, Original Content, Syfy: “We’re delighted to develop this fascinating First Contact story with long-time partners Universal Cable Productions and Entertainment One. Gateway is thought-provoking and unsettling, raising profound questions about mankind’s possible relationship with alien life.”
