We reported a little while ago that Johnny Depp was in talks to star in cinematographer Wally Pfister’s (THE DARK KNIGHT RISES, THE PRESTIGE, MONEYBALL) directorial debut TRANSCENDENCE. Now it seems like it might be a done deal as one of the producers on the film, Andrew Kosove, seemed to confirm it while discussing the plot, saying: ‘It is true Johnny Depp’s brain is uploaded into a computer’. What follows is a plot outline obtained by TheWrap, that may or may not be completely up to date. THIS MAY CONTAIN MILD SPOILERS!:
‘Three scientists — Max and the husband and wife team, Will and Evelyn — have been developing a programming code for the world’s first fully self-aware computer. A group of anti-technology terrorists assassinate Will, Evelyn uploads his brain into a prototype supercomputer. Although she at first finds the experiment seems to have gone wrong, before too long Evelyn finds Will responding in computer form.
She goes on to connect Will to the Internet so he can help make further scientific breakthroughs. Will asks Evelyn to connect a microphone and a camera up to the computer so he can see and speak to her as well.
Will creates a backup of himself to every computer in the world, and furthers his work through accessing online indexes. (Kosove told TheWrap this plot point is no longer in the script.) When the anti-technology organization finds out, they try to steal the supercomputer and destroy it, but Will no longer needs the computer to survive.’
Depp is scheduled to play Will, the scientist who gets uploaded into the computer, with Christian Bale previously rumoured for the second male lead part (which seems to be Max, based on this synopsis). I think it sounds like a very interesting prospect and it could be a very intelligent piece of sci-fi (PLEASE let Depp say ‘I’m afraid I can’t do that Dave’!).
Another intelligent blockbuster ala INCEPTION or a bunch of boring techno-babble? Let us know what you think in the comments below! We’ll bring you any more details as they get revealed right here on this site.
Source: TheWrap
