Dreamworks seeking screenwriters for FORBIDDEN PLANET remake

Hey folks, Harry here... FORBIDDEN PLANET is a project that's been in the hell of development for what seems like ages. One of the problems they've had is that everytime they develop it, they keep running back into the original, which is of course genius. A very long time ago Irvin Kershner (director of STAKEOUT ON DOPE STREET) was developing it... to such a point that Stan Winston had built props and they were ready to go and... well it fell apart. Another time it was looking like James Cameron was going to make FORBIDDEN PLANET. Then when the project showed up at New Line it looked like Frank Darabont was going to write it. Well, New Line threw up their hands as well, but when Michael Deluca landed at Dreamworks, and New Line surrendered development on FORBIDDEN PLANET, well Deluca picked it up for the second time, but at a new studio.

For the last 2 years it has languished at Dreamworks. Deluca attached Richard Saperstein to develop it, like he had at New Line, and the process has continued. FORBIDDEN PLANET has again shown up on the "Open Writing Assignment" boards that go out to the various Talent Agencies around Hollywood and beyond. In addition to Richard Saperstein, two other producers have joined the fray. A Lindsay Dunlap (the only Lindsay Dunlap I've found was an assistant Location Manager on a few films back over 15 years ago... I don't know if this is the same person) and a person by the name of JIM CAMERON. Now there is no listing for a JIM Cameron and JAMES Cameron has never been attached to a project with the 'friendly' JIM in place of JAMES. HOWEVER, having said that, I do know for a fact that James Cameron was very active in wanting to make FORBIDDEN PLANET. Anyway, those are the three producers on the project at the moment. And this is what they say they're doing:

Remake of Fred M. Wilcox’s 1956 MGM film. In the year 2020, a crew is sent on a rescue mission to investigate what happened to a colony of settlers on a faraway planet where they find only two survivors: Dr. Morbius and his daughter Altaira, as well as their robot Robby. However, Morbius announces that he has no intention of being rescued and returned to Earth. The crew question Morbius to find out that at one time, the planet was populated by the Krel, a wise, intellectually superior race. Using leftover Krel technology, Morbius has doubled his intellect and gained the ability to shape a new world to his own specifications. Loosely based on William Shakespeare’s THE TEMPEST.

Just right off the boat I'm curious if they'll keep a date that is just 17 years from now or if they plan on making this in the FAR FUTURE. Also the idea that Morbius has gained the ability to shape a new world to his own specifications... well, that's a fairly major departure from the original film. The Krel had that ability, but Morbius never really exhibited that sort of power or control, it was his subconcious mind that gave him the power to reach and control the great planet changing and matter machines of the Krel.

Whatever may be happening on this project, we'll continue to follow along!