The Passion of St. Bill

As far as movie adaptations of his books go, William Gibson ranks close behind Stephen King on the disappointment scale. New Rose Hotel was good, if not very accessible. There were two X-Files episodes: one decent, the other...wanting. Then you have the tragic rejection of his script for Alien III, especially considering what we got instead. What's to be said when your best-known film is Johnny Mnemonic?

Now, after a long hiatus, news of a new film project based on a William Gibson book has surfaced--and not just any book; but the seminal story that is perhaps the jewel in the sci-fi author's crown. Word from the Cannes Film Festival is that Gibson's breakthrough novel Neuromancer has been picked up for production. Some healthy skepticism is natural at this point, but the few reported details seem to hint at light on the horizon.

The first promising sign is that Vincenzo Natali is attached to direct. Considering his work on Cube, it's hard to imagine someone better qualified to helm this project. Also intriguing is the fact that Tokyo, Istanbul, and London; all of which are either visited or mentioned in the novel, have been cited as shooting locations.

If anyone is holding his breath over the outcome of this project, it isn't Gibson. The iconic author responded to the news via his Twitter account, advising fans to quit worrying about Neuromancer in favor of preparing for the impending eschaton.