Logan’s Run is a classic science fiction novel written by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson in 1967. It has been adapted into a movie, television series, and comic books over the years. For the last few years, a new movie adaptation has been in the works and the last news on it was that Nicholas Winding Refn was attached as the director with 42-year-old Ryan Gosling tapped to play the titular role.
The original story of Logan’s Run explored themes of dystopian future societies and the struggle for freedom and survival. With today’s popular franchises such as The Hunger Games exploring similar themes, it would be interesting to see how these concepts could be updated for a modern audience given that the story told in the novels was one in which human beings expired when they were 20. However, in the 1976 movie adaptation, the age was changed to 30.
How Could A New Logan’s Run Film or TV Series Be Done Right?
First off. I think the production should look closer at the books by William F. Nolan and George Clayton Johnson because sadly both writers have passed away and would not be able to consult on the making of a new film. Logan’s Run was a trilogy that included Logan’s World and Logan’s Search. So if done right you have a potential trilogy of films with further potential spin-offs a possibility.
Secondly. I feel that the production and whoever winds up heading it should look to recent hits like The Hunger Games in order to create the world and feel of Logan’s Run. I’d also look to cast much younger actors than Ryan Gosling who’d be dead by now if he’d existed in the universe of the 1970s adaptation. So look to younger 20-something actors instead of banking on a big-name star. However, if you wanted a big name to do it. Then you’d probably be looking at 26-year-old Tom Holland or maybe someone entirely new for the role of Logan. As for Jessica Six, there are plenty of well-established 20-something women that could play that role. Given that people have to die at 20 in the book series. It makes sense to have a cast of 20-somethings as opposed to older actors. After all, Jennifer Lawrence was only 20 when she starred in the first Hunger Games movie.
Ryan Gosling Is Too Old to Play Logan Five
As good an actor as Ryan Gosling is. He is too old for the role of Logan Five and should not be even considered for the role. As stated above. Logan Five and Jessica Six in the books are most likely mature teenagers in that they may be 18 or 19 and nearing their 20th Birthdays, which is when they will be called upon to die as the laws of the City of Domes dictates. However, this should not mean the production excludes older actors as in the story Logan Five and Jessica Six actually Escape the City of Domes and encounter older humans outside.
Some Final Thoughts
Logan’s Run for me is very much a novel series that grandfathered stories such as Hunger Games, The Maze Runner, and Divergent. Logan’s Run was about a youthful society that was struggling with resource management after a great nuclear war. So to keep the population fed and relatively happy. A computer-operated A.I. system was put into place where people would have to self-terminate at the age of 20 with a promise of renewal. Anyone to fail and live up to their responsibility to commit suicide was hunted down and killed by the Sandmen.
In the original movie, Logan and Jessica had a quite naive child-like quality to them. It was watching them learn about the darkness of their world and adapt that made the original movie so entertaining.
As to whether or not Nicholas Winding Refn will continue to be involved with this project remains to be seen. As this has been one of those remakes that have been passed around by different producers and directors for several years now. But I’d say to whoever does it. Think in terms of a younger cast and draw as much from the books as you can.
Share this:
