Steven Spielberg will be directing the film adaptation of Ernest Cline’s “Ready Player One,” now marked to be released next Christmas. Cline’s book depicts a setting in 2044 where reality stinks, so people escape into a virtual utopia called OASIS.

From the studio:

BURBANK, CA – August 6, 2015 – The game is on in 2017.  Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures’ “Ready Player One”—the already much-anticipated sci-fi action adventure, to be directed by Steven Spielberg—has been slated for release on December 15, 2017.  The announcement was made today by Dan Fellman, President, Domestic Distribution; Sue Kroll, President, Worldwide Marketing and Distribution; and Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, Worldwide Distribution, Warner Bros. Pictures.

A three-time Academy Award winner, Spielberg (“Schindler’s List,” “Saving Private Ryan”) is directing “Ready Player One,” based on Ernest Cline’s bestseller of the same name, which has become a worldwide phenomenon.  The film is being produced by Spielberg; Donald De Line, under his De Line Pictures banner; Dan Farah; and Spielberg’s longtime colleague Kristie Macosko Krieger; with Bruce Berman serving as executive producer.  De Line and Farah originally brought the project to Warner Bros. 

“Ready Player One” marks a return to Warner Bros. for Spielberg, who previously directed the studio’s “Empire of the Sun,” “The Color Purple” and “A.I. Artificial Intelligence,” in addition to producing the hits “Gremlins” and “The Goonies.”

In making the announcement, Fellman stated, “Any film from Steven Spielberg is an event film, so it felt right to date this thrilling new project from one of our greatest filmmakers for the holiday season.”

Sue Kroll added, “From the success of the book, ‘Ready Player One’ already has a devoted following, and we’re excited for its fans and moviegoers everywhere to see this fantastically innovative story come to life.  We know it couldn’t be in better hands, and look forward to working with Steven and the producers to bring it to the big screen.”

Kwan Vandenberg said, “There are few directors with the global stature of Steven Spielberg, so we are thrilled to be delivering his latest adventure to audiences worldwide.”

A presentation of Warner Bros. Pictures, Village Roadshow Pictures and DreamWorks Pictures, “Ready Player One” will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures.

Article image created by Hannah Straw. Check out her gallery at https://www.behance.net/HannahStraw.