Studio:
Unknown.
Production Company:
Unknown.
Project Phase: Development Hell.
Who's In It:
No one confirmed as yet.
Who's Making It:
No one confirmed as yet; based on the novel by Robert A. Heinlein.
Premise: "Oh, it's so cute! Can we keep it?" It's been asked of parents many times, but this time's different. Sure, what one interstellar explorer brought back from the stars looks cute to begin with, but before you know it it's big as bus and virtually invulnerable. And then it had to go and eat that car...
Release Date: Unknown.
Comments: None.
Rumors: Unknown.
Scoop Feedback:
[Page draft submitted by 'Widgett', who reminds you to have your star beasts spayed and neutered.]
October 2, 1998... When the buzz was jumping and jiving over Starship Troopers, you just know that some other Heinlein material was going to get in Development LaBrea. This is one such piece of material, the original novel written for a teenage audience. We first heard word about Disney optioning this Heinlein novel back in November '97. Thankfully our original scooper returned and reminded us of the property. [Reported by 'Sleeper'.]
We also did some checking around and managed to confirm 'Sleeper's claim -- Disney does indeed own the film rights to the Heinlein novel. Seeking to gain some more information about what The Star Beast is about, we contacted the 'net's guru of all things Heinlein, James Gifford. Gifford had this to say about the book:
"'Star Beast' is an interesting choice for Disney-- although it's nominally one of Heinlein's 'juvenile' novels (really 'young adult'), it contains some very, very sophisticated elements and at least one really smutty joke. Among other things, the protagonist does not get along with his mother (unusual for 50's YA fiction and Heinlein), and his girlfriend 'divorced' her parents and lives as an emancipated minor-- quite controversial when the novel was published. There are also some complexities about who the real protagonist is and some fabulous interplay among the planetary governmental officials-- it would be great to see some of this subtlety make it into the Disney version. In any case, this is one of the two or three best choices among RAH's 'juveniles' for movie treatment."
It's unknown what Disney's animation plans are for the Star Beast film: will it be traditional or computer animated? October 19, 1998... Our source tells us that the Disney deal fell through. Apparently Disney's terms were that they wanted all rights to the book and Heinlein's estate refused; thus, the deal is dead. [Thanks to our anonymous source.]
Related Sites:
The Robert A. Heinlein Home Page -- One of the best places on the 'net to find all there is about Heinlein and his works. Not only did site creator James Gifford make the loving digital tribute to the writer but he's also putting the finishing touches on a reader's companion book guide to Heinlein's prose due out in bookstores in the near future.
The Official alt.fan.heinlein 'Frequently Asked Questions' List -- Also written by James Gifford, the FAQ can be found at this address.
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