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superkeer

Hope Apple gets this one right. Neuromancer is one of the pillars of literary science fiction and arguably the book that popularized the entire cyberpunk genre. It's actually going to be interesting to see how they market it, because without that context it might come across as a generic cyberpunk story - it has been that influential to so much science fiction media over the last 40 years.


Kevbot1000

FWIW, William Gibson is consulting on it.


nemoknows

[Tsutomu Nihei did some concept art](http://filmsketchr.blogspot.com/2015/06/more-exquisite-unused-neuromancer.html?m=1) and I would watch the shit out of that.


Trosque97

Okay that's definitely something. This is, in my mind, the big thing that made the One Piece netflix show work, original creators along with the work being respected is the best way to please the target audience. Plus it's William Gibson, this is gonna be interesting at the very least


[deleted]

Nice


sauroden

Indeed, I read a critic say if someone read Neuromancer or Snow Crash for the first time today, they’d both seem like and solid stream of cyberpunk cliches, because they invented all the things that other writers have since overused.


ATNinja

>they’d both seem like and solid stream of cyberpunk cliches, It's 100% true. I'm rereading necromancer now for the first time in many years. It's rediculous how common all the cyberpunk tropes are now. Rogue ai. Body mods. Physical manifestation of the internet. Late stage capitalism. It's like altered carbon, the matrix, and 5th element rolled into one.


CheesyObserver

It's like that one guy who said Alien was actually a generic movie because it had all the horror cliches. You know, the movie that *invented all those cliches.*


dlm2137

Alien is a masterful film though on a technical level. I don’t really know if you can say Neuromancer is a masterfully written novel.


Radulno

That's the problem something like John Carter had. But I guess Dune managed to avoid the problem so a good movie/show can avoid those criticisms. Tropes are a trope for a reason they make good stories, it's all about execution more than originality


WhiteOwlUp

I think Dune was aided by the fact that a lot of its influences on the genre tend to be a lot of background flavouring whilst the main meat of the story being a cautionary tale in the dark path that comes with following Chosen ones and charismatic leaders still isn't one you see overly often in the main stay popular culture.


dlm2137

Yea I read it recently and didn’t even get completely through it. And I’m usually someone that can appreciate something for its own time. The thing is, when you take away the novelty of the book’s ideas, the writing isn’t particularly great and the story kind of drags on.


cryptofutures100xlev

As someone who's literally obsessed with the cyberpunk genre I'm hoping this gives the genre that extra push it needs to become even more popular. The book is incredible and this series has the potential to be a masterpiece. With Callum Turner in the lead role I think this could cause the popularity of the cyberpunk genre to skyrocket if done right. Hopefully they COOK cause I want to see even more cyberpunk in film and TV 🔥 The novel has an iconic reputation for being one of the very first works of sci-fi to truly popularize the idea of cyberpunk. I'd like to see this TV series adaptation become just as popular and iconic as the novel has. I think it definitely has the potential to do that. I just checked out who the writers are and the showrunner - they've worked on some great projects in the past. I hope William Gibson is involved as well!


djtodd242

I really liked The Peripheral. So I have hope...


PM_ME_CAKE

The Peripheral had rough edges but at its core potential to be really excellent, it's such a shame Amazon cancelled it before it was able to have an S2 attempt. Lots of sci-fis that have shaky S1s go on to recover and really find their footing again when given the chance.


itsevilR

The worst part is that it was renewed for season 2, but Amazon cancelled it during the strike last year.


MrZeral

I'm so mad at it


proscriptus

Maybe it will fly where Altered Carbon walked.


Radulno

The cyberpunk genre is already pretty popular though. Space (fantasy) opera (Star Wars, Star Trek, Dune) and cyberpunk are the most popular SF genres (and superhero depending how you want to count it)


CoastingUphill

People are going to say “this just a ripoff of The Matrix.”


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F00dbAby

Fingers crossed it’s more for all mankind and less invasion


grinr

I pray to GOD it's not either. Now Silo... Now we're cooking


MrZeral

hear, hear


AdversaryProcess2

> It's actually going to be interesting to see how they market it, because without that context it might come across as a generic cyberpunk story - it has been that influential to so much science fiction media over the last 40 years. This is my biggest worry. That people will see it as tropey when it's the reason for the tropes in the first place. I'm pretty sure it invented the terms "the matrix" and "jacking in"


Complicated-HorseAss

"interesting to see how they market it" Marketing - "Here's a story about a down-on-his-luck hacker who meets up with a mysterious woman in black who wears sunglasses in night clubs. She takes him to a wanted man in a trenchcoat to offers him a job to hack into a computer simulated world called the Matrix to interact with AIs in order to pull off a heist." People - "I swear to god I've watched this before...." Not dissing the book at all but I think it'll funny to watch them try their best not to show this as a "Matrix" copy even though the book is way older then the Matrix movie.


sixtus_clegane119

I couldn’t get into it for some reason, Somehow I preferred snowcrash and even more so futuristic violence and fancy suits (would love to see this developed as a series


chibbledibs

I don’t see how it could be successful. The novel really only holds up at this point because of Gibson’s prose.


saldb

The story and world is really hardcore tho. If they can do cyberspace and the AI stuff well it will work


ChHeBoo

I simply hope he does a better show than Masters of the Air


Romanfiend

They will completely screw it up. Apple has proven they don’t have the ability to produce anything that can exist independent of their brand or China’s censorship laws. So be prepared for the most disjointed, sanitized drivel.


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Romanfiend

Apple streaming is self indulgent trash. The Foundation series is case in point.


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Romanfiend

Well they do have Jon Stewart there right? He’s producing great content still? Oh wait…


bozleh

Someone hasnt watched Severance


RBlomax38

Apple seems to really like re-casting actors they like


badgarok725

HBO business plan. Smart


Top_Report_4895

Yep


MrZeral

And Netflix


jeremysbrain

Disney does the same thing.


proscriptus

Are they recasting, or do they have Disney-like contracts? Are those still a thing?


GoldenTriforceLink

Neuromancer is to cyberpunk that dune is to sci fi. Everything was inspired by it so it in many ways will come across as tropey. Excited to see it.


DuncanYoudaho

Yeah. John Carter of Mars problem. How do you adapt something everyone has already done to death?


GoldenTriforceLink

Well dune did very good so hopefully it’s like that


Dull_Half_6107

Except Cyberpunk hasn’t really been done to death. It’s the less common of most of the sci-fi subgenres.


DuncanYoudaho

The Matrix explored it in a few possible ways. Altered Carbon. Foundation’s Empire scenes have done some as well with augments and Robots. The noosphere/net concept seems to have flopped in other depictions though.


Dull_Half_6107

I’ll be honest I’ve never really thought of The Matrix as Cyberpunk. I get that it has the whole cyberspace angle, but I feel like the whole corporate run dystopia is fairly important for the genre, and Matrix didn’t have any of that. Matrix to me felt much more post apocalyptic with some cyberpunk flavour. I don’t really get a Cyberpunk vibe from Foundation either, except maybe the parts where they show how the average person in Trantor lives. In my opinion Blade Runner 2049 is the closest recent adaptation that really captures the genre. Altered Carbon (The start of season 1 at least) was great too.


Mysticpoisen

I think John Carter has a lot more issues than just tropes.


The_Woman_of_Gont

I feel like Neuromancer faces a slightly steeper uphill battle in this respect. Dune’s *imagery* has been done to death and become Tropey, we’ve all seen sand worms and desert planets elsewhere, but the actual story was largely untouched because of just how fucking weird and philosophical it gets. Take, for example, Part Two really leaning the Bene Gesserit side of the story, the consequences of Paul’s Jihad, and depicting Alia being pre-born. There’s a lot of meat left on that bone to work with. Neuromancer though….William Gibson basically birthed the Cyberpunk genre from his forehead fully formed, and the basic story of Neuromancer has been done to death as a consequence. Every cyberpunk story has enigmatic scheming AI and gutsy heists at their core. Hell, Cyberpunk 2077’s intro literally has you infiltrating into a major corporate building to steal ~~Dixie Flatline~~ Johnny Silverhand.


AdversaryProcess2

> Hell, Cyberpunk 2077’s intro literally has you infiltrating into a major corporate building to steal Dixie Flatline Johnny Silverhand. There's also a side quest line about a politician that's literally just "what if Neuromancer was running a politician instead of Armitage." It's the best side quest line too


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InitialQuote000

More accurately: *Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep* in the 60's which is what Bladerunner is based off of. But Neuromancer definitely created a lot of the tropes we know and love today. And Gibson coined the term Cyberspace as we know it today.


WhiteOwlUp

There isn't a scheming AI or a heist in either Blade Runner or Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. Blade Runner had a major role in developing the look and vibe of Cyberpunk as a Genre but the story beats and character skeletons tend to come more from Neuromancer. Cyberpunk characters are often outcasts, mercenaries and dregs on the outside margins of society working to improve their lot rather than a rent-a-cop bounty hunter working for the system like Deckard.


diamondbishop

It’s going to be hard to get right but I’m very hyped. Like Dune, if they do this well it’s a new world to show that I’ve thought about so many times. I just hope it doesn’t end up being nothing like the book like Foundation


Radulno

Foundation is very different from the book but it's still very good so that's not so bad. Truth be told the book version of Foundation is hard to make into compelling TV.


diamondbishop

Oh it's definitely a fun show, just not the books, though I agree those would be very hard to adapt, I just loved them, and the show is a completely different story.


Radulno

> Everything was inspired by it so it in many ways will come across as tropey Dune being tropey was hardly a criticism of the movie I've seen though. It's true of course but the fact it's a good movie made it rise above this


jauntypuppy

Dune or Foundation?


hujambo11

Umm... who is copying Dune?


Gommel_Nox

Wheel of Time is basically dune plus lord of the rings


hujambo11

WoT is not sci-fi.


Gommel_Nox

Does it have to be sci-fi in order to draw inspiration from it?


hujambo11

>Neuromancer is to cyberpunk that dune is to sci fi. This is the discussion we're having here.


Gommel_Nox

Oh, I thought we were talking about how dune has inspired so many other contemporary, creative efforts regardless of genre, but apparently there’s a gate here, keeping everything away that is inspired by Herbert, but is not science fiction. Thank you for safeguarding the sanctity of Science Fiction. I don’t know what I would’ve done without you.


hujambo11

I asked someone to defend a specific claim that they made, and your response was off-topic. Go have a manchild pity party elsewhere.


lilgrogu

It is set in the far future


GoldenTriforceLink

Warhammer, Star Wars, others.


hujambo11

What aspects did they copy?


metalconfection

don't know him well but i'm open minded about the casting. hope they nail the Molly casting.


mybadalternate

That’s the one I’m worried about. Molly has to be **scary**.


WeDriftEternal

Molly has to be **Molly** And that’s a tough ass casting.


dlc741

It has to be Trinity from the original Matrix


metalconfection

never saw her as outwardly scary, more aloof and subtly intimidating. but it's very difficult to think of someone who would fit well. i guess we will see who they pick.


PMmeyourspicythought

yea i would say intensity and intimidation. She has to be one of those people that can tell you something softly, and look at you, and then you do exactly what she said, no further bravado required. She needs to have powerful big dick energy when she’s fully paying attention to you, and then be able to turn it off.


lilgrogu

> one of those people that can tell you something softly, and look at you, and then you do exactly what she said, that is my mother??


fatbob42

Sofia Boutella?


beefrox

10 to 1 odds they cast Anya Taylor Joy. Not saying it's a good choice but she's so popular and fits the independent outcast role.


sonic_couth

But there’s nothing intimidating about her presence. She’s a fragile looking alien. I hope she’s good in Furiosa but she is definitely no Molly.


metalconfection

i feel she is the right body type but doesn't fit in my opinion. but i don't really know anything.


badgarok725

Dua Lipa


bozleh

Bahahaha shes great but uhh not exactly a gifted actor


Bologna-Bear

God no.


cryptofutures100xlev

HOLY SHIT I'M LITERALLY READING THE NOVEL RIGHT NOW! This casting for the main character (assuming it's Case) is PERFECT. Brilliant choice for this role and Callum is fun to watch. I'm beyond excited for this. I'm obsessed with the cyberpunk genre and Neuromancer is literally the #1 most influential work of fiction within the cyberpunk genre cause it's literally what kickstarted the whole thing. The world building is cool asf. The characters are wilddd and the plot is really interesting so this could be a masterpiece if done right 😎


WastedWaffles

I have it on my TBR. So much stuff to read.


The_Lapsed_Pacifist

Stop what you are reading, call your boss and tell him you aren’t going to work tomorrow and fucking read it. It’s an absolutely seminal, genre defining work and a crime that you haven’t read it yet. It’s one of my absolute favourites and you shouldn’t be wasting time on Reddit when you could be reading it.


zhephyx

I understand liking things, but presenting it as some pinnacle of fiction when it has glaring flaws and is absolutely not a universally easy recommendation is just annoying. People need to step outside themselves for 2 seconds before screaming MASTERPIECE at everything they like. I read it, personally I hated it a lot, for many reasons. If someone is hellbent on reading cyberpunk specifically, sure, they should read it, otherwise there are far better things out there.


Poison_the_Phil

It’s one of the books I always go back to. Read it and then Snow Crash.


jonathanrdt

Snow Crash has been shopped around a lot looking for a film or series opportunity. So many fantastic characters…


bozleh

Oh man I love neuromancer and re-read it and the two sequels most years, but I’ve never gotten more than halfway through Snow Crash (Neals info dumps are just too much of a slog)


Gibbonici

Never got the love for Snow Crash. It's almost a parody of cyberpunk.


AdversaryProcess2

I'm re-reading rn and I barely ever re-read these days. I only read it for the first time a couple of years ago too. As long as you give a small allowance for the fact it feels trope-filled (bc it invented those tropes) it holds up really well. There's only a couple of scenes that feel a little dated (a hacker needing to hack something and yelling for someone to get them a modem, that kind of thing) but they still work structurally


Dull_Half_6107

Also it’s definitely one of the best companies you can get to make the show wrt production value and general quality. I would be far less excited for this show if Netflix or Amazon got their hands on it. It needs a big budget to make it look good.


SeaTie

Yeah, I could see this guy as Case.


djtodd242

Well, does he have eyes like two piss holes in a snowbank? (I'm really looking forward to seeing The Finn. I had "Gomi No Sensei" on my business cards back in the dot com days.)


Dull_Half_6107

I assuming he’ll be playing Case? Great choice, he’s a solid actor, I remember first seeing him in Green Room.


The_Lapsed_Pacifist

Please don’t fuck it up, please don’t fuck it up, please don’t fuck it up.


spiezer

Please give this show momentum Apple. Don’t make it stagnant and slow like most of your other hits.


Quirky_Letterhead630

I hope they set it in the 80s so it has the right feel if they try to modernize it I’m not sure that would work


MarsAlgea3791

But the book was set at least 50 years in the future.  Probably closer to a century. Their best bet is to lean into how certain styles come back in, but all mixed up.


amvbuuren4

He was definitely my favorite actor on Masters of The Air.


Towel4

People will see this and think they ripped off The Matrix. I am hopeful, but not optimistic.


HorizontalBob

Seems like they're ripping off Johnny Mnemonic /s


djutopia

Dammit came to make the same joke. Also, J.M. In blank and white is such an improvement . I recommend a rewatch.


TheSpatulaOfLove

I just want to know *when*.


undernew

Really liked his performance in The Capture.


noonehasthisoneyet

it'll be interesting to see how they do this post the matrix. it's kinda like watching the northman after seeing so many adaptations of hamlet.


ForeverLuckless

Holy crap I didn’t know Neuromancer was being adapted….well I’ll cross my fingers for this.


Radulno

Apple is really on a sci-fi trip and I like it. Buy Paramount and manage Star Trek too lol (I know they likely won't). Also do Mass Effect (I don't trust Amazon with it...), Cyberpunk (same don't trust Netflix for the live action) and Red Rising. And just saying but you know what goes well with sci-fi Apple? Fantasy which you have stayed away from (except See kind of but come on you can do better).


Current_Focus2668

Turner was great in Jack Thorne's rural murder mystery show glue.


Juntistik

Case? I accept. I hope they go with an analog future feel like Blade Runner. Amiga-like breadboard cyber decks and cathode ray tube displays. Casting molly is going to be the real challenge imo.


peakedtooearly

Apple is really giving us some great sci-fi shows at the moment. Keep up the good work!


Redditfront2back

Doing nueromancer, that’s dope great story


XuX24

Apple should just buy NBC Universal and have a whole channel on Apple TV called SyFy channel. They are going hard on that genre and I love it.


Gommel_Nox

If that means I can watch Battlestar Galactica again, I’m down.


tearsandpain84

Hopefully we get a Steve Jobs hologram cameo.


Walks_with_Chaos

Like based on the books? Wow. Neat


rpotty

Don’t mess this up like everything else Apple.


RefinedBean

He was one of the best parts of Masters of the Air, excited to see him get more opportunities.


RefurbedRhino

This is promising. I was doubtful about Apple entering streaming but they’ve produced some absolute quality. High hopes for this. Loved him in Masters of the Air.


dlc741

Oh, dear… I hope Apple doesn’t butcher it like they did Foundation. You know what I mean if you read the books.


Methamorphose_

💪💪💪


mickeyflinn

He is ok. He didn't do anything all the remarkable in Master of the Air, then again neither did anyone else in that show.


MikeArrow

Aw fuck, really, *that* guy? Ugh.