There are few things in life that excite Empire more than the prospect of a big-budget sci-fi film that’s described as “a live-action graphic novel influenced by Blade Runner that includes martial arts”. Except, of course, when said live-action graphic novel influenced by **Blade Runner **that includes martial arts is produced by Brett Ratner and directed by the guy behind the forthcoming remake of, erm, Fame. For that movie, surely, is destined to be the Greatest Movie Ever Made.
And that movie is Arcana, a live-action graphic novel influenced by… oh, we’ve done that bit. Anyway, Kevin Tancharoen, who did indeed direct the new Fame movie, will call the shots on the Universal blockbuster-in-waiting, while Ratner will produce.
Of course, where Fame was a mere remake, Arcana is a completely original concept – well, as original as a live-action graphic novel influenced by **Blade Runner **that includes martial arts can be - that will allow Tancharoen, a choreographer-turned-director, to really show what he can do. He came up with the idea along with actor, Harry Shum Jr., while John Ridley, who wrote the script for George Lucas’ forthcoming Red Tails, wrote the script.
Apart from that, little else is known about the movie, other than it will largely be shot on greenscreen, a la 300, and is guaranteed to be awesome. On a more serious note, we know that the talent involved doesn't inspire a lot of confidence, but who knows? Perhaps this could come out of nowhere, like Neill Blomkamp's District 9, and give sci-fi a good old-fashioned kick up the backside.