Neill Blomkamp is known for his eccentric films including District 9, Chappie, Elysium and even an upcoming Alien film — which I’m pretty excited for. So, it’s not a surprise that he’s teasing another eccentric project, something called The Larke.
What Is the Larke?
All we know so far about The Larke is that it involves sci-fi helmets a la Destiny and Halo, and that whoever this Larke character is, he’s pretty “wise.”
Neill Blomkamp teased the project via his personal Instagram by uploading the image you see above. Shortly after, a separate account was created specifically for The Larke, and two more images were uploaded one of which shows off a different helmet style.
The first of the two images was posted alongside this quote:
I might not be able to provide all the answers but I will do my best.
The second image had this quote:
I am the Larke. I am always here for you.
Considering there are two different outfits, it’s safe to assume these are two different people. That would imply The Larke is an organization or group of some kind instead of a single individual. What that means in the grand scheme, I have no idea.
Also take note of the clothes these characters are wearing. The first one — with the horns — is wearing a retro style business jacket while the other seems to be wearing a tight fitting shirt and scarf. Why are they wearing masks at all then since they’re not in space suits?
The background colors could also be indicative of something, with the more sinister looking horned character outlined in dark, foreboding shades and the other illuminated by brighter, more friendly tones.
It’s likely this relates to Blomkamp’s upcoming sci-fi film Leviathian of which we know very little about. It is possible, however that this is for another project entirely.
What Is Leviathan?
If this really does have to do with Blomkamp’s Leviathan, it makes sense to talk about it for a moment. Blomkamp will serve as executive producer, with Simon Kinberg (X-Men: Days of Future Past) writing the script.
Director Ruairi Robinson (The Last Days on Mars) and screenwriter Jim Uhls (Fight Club) released a proof of concept “teaser” video of The Leviathan to show off it’s potential. Since being uploaded it has garnered more than 1.8 million Vimeo views and 10.4K likes.
As you can see, it teases a unique but rich world with many of the elements being presented in the teaser. The premise: In the 22nd century, slave labor is tasked with harvesting a rare and “exotic material” from the eggs of an alien species — possibly the Leviathan in the title — to be used as fuel for light travel.
One thing, in particular, stands out, the premise is eerily reminiscent of Frank Herbert’s Dune — one of the most beloved sci-fi series ever created.
The suits and helmets worn in the teaser are similar to the ones shown in the Larke images, albeit with slight changes. The Larke might be a rebel force, fighting against a corporation; a corporation that intends to hoard the exotic materials recovered from Leviathans.
What do you think?
