A lot of things are scheduled to take place in 2012. The London Olympics, for one – and we look forward to taking the Tube when that’s on. The Queen, God bless her, will celebrate her Diamond Jubilee, if she’s still on the throne, of course. Liverpool will pick up another Premiership trophy under the increasingly brilliant stewardship of Rafael Benitez. And what else?
Oh yes. The world will end.
According to ancient Mayan prophecies, and a few prophecies from other lost civilisations and, it has to be said, some modern soothsayers, 2012 may well see the end of the world as we know it. And we won’t feel fine.
Some claim that the Mayan prophecies simply refer to a major change in world order. Others claim that the end of a sunspots cycle will trigger cataclysmic change on Earth. Others claim that a comet will rend Earth asunder. Still others insist that the antichrist will show up with his minions and kick some serious butt. Either way, 2012 – specifically December 21 – promises to be a time of great change and transformation, possibly apocalyptic.
So, of course Roland Emmerich’s making a film about it.
The guy who blew up the world in Independence Day and froze it in The Day After Tomorrow, isn’t done with dishing out mega-destruction on screen. Right now – even as you read this – pretty much every major film studio in Hollywood is competing for the right to make Emmerich’s latest spec script, which we believe is simply titled – for now at least – 2012.
Written with Harald Kloser – composer, co-writer and executive producer on 10,000 BC, the Emmerich film set to come out in a few weeks – the 2012 project is described as an apocalyptic spec script, so it must be pretty powerful. Anyway, it was sent out yesterday to executives from the major studios in Hollywood; they read it, very quickly, and apparently all loved it enough to want to talk to Emmerich about his package.
Steady, now – unlike most directors, Emmerich develops his movies on his own dime, and brings the finished package, including a release date, to studios. It worked with Independence Day, and it worked with The Day After Tomorrow, and it should work for 2012.
Studios are currently meeting with Emmerich to hear more about the film’s budget and his creative aspirations (“Blow things up,” we’re guessing). We’d put money on Fox coming out on top, given their history with the German director, but you never know.
If the film goes ahead, Emmerich plans to have it ready for release in 2009, pending a possible Actors’ Strike. Of course, this begs the question: if we’re all going to peg it just three years later, is there any point?
Nevertheless, we have a soft spot for Emmerich’s compulsion to break the world onscreen, and we wish him well. Needless to say, we’ll keep you posted on the outcome of the talks.
NB: If you want to read more about 2012, and it is a fascinating subject, there's an all-purpose page on - where else? - Wikipedia. And from there, you can spin off where you will. Hurry, though - only four years and ten months to go!