- AFTER EARTH
As Sony Pictures begins to create buzz for the M Night
Shyamalan-directed Will and Jaden Smith-starrer After Earth, the studio has a
number of other initiatives, to increase and spark awareness for the film,
Deadline reports.
Will Smith on set |
Overbrook Entertainment, Sony Pictures Consumer Products,
The Random House Publishing Group and Ebury Publishing has set plans to create
a broad line of publishing products, digital shorts, novels and so forth, based
on the film and the universe that was created from the script by Gary Whitta
and Shyamalan, based on a story by Will Smith.
After Earth is set 1000 years after cataclysmic events
forced humanity’s escape from Earth, Nova Prime has become mankind’s new home.
Legendary General Cypher Raige (Will Smith) returns from an extended tour of
duty to his estranged family, ready to be a father to his 13-year-old son,
Kitai (Jaden Smith). When an asteroid storm damages Cypher and Kitai’s craft,
they crash-land on a now unfamiliar and dangerous Earth. As his father lies
dying in the cockpit, Kitai must trek across the hostile terrain to recover
their rescue beacon. His whole life, Kitai has wanted nothing more than to be a
soldier like his father. Today, he gets his chance
This will mark the second time this father and son duo will
team up since After Earth.
The publishing and digital shorts program will encompass two
novels and multiple shorts, along with a single-issue comic, After Earth:
Innocence, which Random House publishes in October in partnership with Dynamite
Entertainment.
Will Smith and Jaden Smith on set |
The comic is a prequel that introduces Cypher and Kitai
Raige (played by Will and Jaden Smith in the After Earth film), and helps
establish the world by covering such incidents as mankind’s exodus from Earth
and arrival on Nova Prime, as well as the first contact with a deadly alien
species. Beni R. Lobel is providing artwork for an exclusive edition of the
comic with an alternate cover by artist Jae which has been released at
Comic-Con.
There will also be a prequel novel and an official
novelization, as well as a series of digital shorts telling stories set in the
world of After Earth. Each short will be available on all major e-reading
platforms. The novels, comic and digital shorts will be penned by writers
including bestselling authors Peter David, Michael Jan Friedman, and Robert
Greenberger.
Jaden in a After Earth Suit |
“We believe this is a unique opportunity to bring a
franchise to life across different platforms over a period of time, which our
partners at Random House have wholeheartedly embraced,” said Gaetano
Mastropasqua, Head of Franchise Development at Overbrook. “We have created over
1000 years of mythology and family heritage that contribute to the foundation
of this new world. Through these platforms both our core fan-base, and those
just being introduced to the franchise, are able to explore the After Earth
universe in depth. Random House is uniquely positioned to help us bring this to
life using both their publishing and digital platforms.”
“We’re excited about this great opportunity to work not only
with the team at Dynamite and our counterparts at Ebury, but also directly with
the creative team at Overbrook,” said Keith Clayton, associate publisher of Del
Rey Books. “It’s important to us that the stories we’re helping to shape are in
line with the team’s larger vision for the world of After Earth. The level of
collaboration has been exceptional.”
It would seem that they are very determined to have After
Earth become an establish franchise, hopefully with ongoing sequel films. If that
doesn’t pan out, then the franchise will still be able to grow through its novelization.
I must admit this film had my curiosity… but now it has my attention!
(LoL yep im quoting Leo DiCaprio from DJango Unchained, Will Smith should have
done that film man!!)
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