Chernin Entertainment, current home of the Planet Of The Apes franchise and of the upcoming Oblivion, has just picked up the rights to another potential sci-fi tentpole. The production company is planning to develop Kasra Farahani's short film Noon into a full-blown feature. 

The futuristic short as it currently exists (watch it below) is envisaged as a small part of a much longer narrative: "a scene from a completed feature screenplay." What we have so far sets up the premise of an Earth 200 years hence that has tipped on its axis, making the always-daylight Arctic one of the only inhabitable places. Noon is the name of a city state, and the short introduces protagonist Gray, a smuggler of illegal immigrants.

It's an intriguing set-up and an impressive calling card. As you might expect from Farahani - a concept artist who's worked with David Fincher and Sam Raimi, and was the art director on Thor and Star Trek Into Darkness - it's not short on production values and eyecatching details. But it's not overly flashy either, taking time to build character and tension.

While there's already a complete screenplay, Peter Chernin and his team clearly still feel it needs work and will be hiring a new writer to develop it further. Farahani will remain part of the process and is attached as director. Some way to go before production starts then, but we'll be watching this one with interest.

"NOON" Short Film from Kasra Farahani on Vimeo.