Reed Morano To Direct Vonnegut’s “Player Piano”

Cinematographer turned Emmy and DGA-winning director Reed Morano (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “The Rhythm Section”) has been set to direct a film adaptation of “Cat’s Cradle” and “Slaughterhouse-Five” author Kurt Vonnegut’s first novel “Player Piano”.

Matthew Walker will pen the script for the project that is being produced by Fabulascope, Picture Films and Verdi Productions.

The 1952 work, first published under the title “Utopia 14,” is a darkly comedic look at an alternate 1950s in which automation have made human labour largely obsolete.

The result is a society in which the populace finds itself mostly useless and bored, while a handful of stressed out office managers keep the mechanics of this society running.

The story follows Dr. Paul Proteus, an up-and-coming executive at the Federal Apparatus Corporation, who finds his life imploding. Morano says in a statement:

“There’s no story more important to tell right now than this one. Everywhere, across every industry, people are realising how profoundly AI is redefining the value of the human contribution. Who will be replaced next? It can be terrifying – which is exactly why we need a story as hilarious and disarming as this one.”

Margot Hand will produce alongside Morano and Walker.

Source: Deadline