Even the upcoming Netflix sci-fi show, titled The Future Is Ours, is set to modernize the setting of Philip K. Dick's The World Jones Made and remove some of the more bizarre story elements from the source material. While these story changes already seem a little controversial, it is still hard not to be hyped about the show because of the strength and potential of its source material.
The core sci-fi concept from the original story and the upcoming adaptation is reminiscent of one of Stephen King's most compelling books, The Dead Zone. Meanwhile, the dystopian aspects of the story remind one of George Orwell's 1984, which makes The Future Is Ours a fascinating blend of prophetic science fiction and classic political dystopia.
Netflix’s New Philip K. Dick Adaptation Will Have The Best Story Beats From The Dead Zone & 1984
Stephen King's The Dead Zone has one of the most underappreciated adaptations, which premiered in 1984. Starring Christopher Walken, the movie focuses on a man, Johnny Smith, who has the ability to see the future. This superpower, however, proves to be more of a blessing than a curse as it allows him to see the bleak future ahead.
Philip K. Dick's The World Jones Made presents a similar character who can see one year ahead in the future. Jones, however, can do little to change humanity's destined future and is forced to view the present as nothing but a sterile rerun of the foreseen future. In both stories, characters with precognition use their abilities to garner a massive cult-like following and are forced to question the nature of free will.
Similar to George Orwell's 1984, The World Jones Made unfolds in a dystopian world where a global government body lives in constant fear of the breakout of war. Owing to this, they introduce an ideology called "Relativism," which suppresses the freedom to state an opinion as an absolute truth. To avoid any clashes, all individuals are forced to act like all viewpoints are equally valid.
Just like 1984, The World Jones Made features one character who breaks the central law and threatens the government's control over the masses. However, as the story progresses, the main character in The World Jones Made turns out to be less of a conventional hero and more of a morally complex human with conflicting ambitions.
Netflix’s The Future Is Ours Can Be The Next Big Dystopian Sci-Fi Epic
Like most Philip K. Dick stories, even The World Jones Made is not easy to adapt. Its portrayal of precognition also makes it very similar to some of the most mind-bending and ambitious sci-fi movies, like Arrival.
Owing to this, it is hard not to question whether Netflix's The Future is Ours will earn as much mainstream attention as popular Philip K. Dick adaptations like Blade Runner and The Man in the High Castle or just be forgettable.
Reports also suggest that the show is skipping many major chapters from the original story, especially the ones that focus on an alien species called the "Drifters." This raises even more skepticism surrounding the series even though most Philip K. Dick adaptations take massive creative liberties.
However, if the Netflix sci-fi show proves to be a worthy take on the original story, it could at least earn the same cult following as Stephen King's The Dead Zone. If all goes well for the upcoming show, it could even allow the original Philip K. Dick story to earn more attention than it originally did.
While only time will tell whether the Netflix sci-fi show will garner as much mainstream attention as Stephen King's The Dead Zone and George Orwell's 1984, it sure does have immense potential.
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Pages
328
Publisher
Signet Classic
George Orwell was ahead of his time when he published Nineteen Eighty-Four back in 1949. The story takes place in London. Winston Smith, the main character, is a low-ranking member of the ruling party in the nation of Oceania. The Party watches Winston's every move via telescreens, they watch everywhere he goes, and wherever he looks, he sees Big Brother. The Party controls the people's history, language, and even their thoughts. Rebellious thinking is illegal in Oceania, and thoughtcrime is indeed the worst crime of all. The oppression and rigid control of the Party frustrates Winston, as it prohibits free thought, sex, and any expression of individuality. Winston is suspicious of one character in particular: O'Brien. Is he trying to overthrow Big Brother? What does he have knowledge of that we cannot? And of course, it's not a fiction book without some forbidden romance, primarily when that romance fuels an already burning hatred for the Party.
Long story short (with as few spoilers as possible), Winston had every right to be suspicious of O'Brien. O'Brien fooled Winston and Julia (Winston's love affair) into thinking he was a part of the Brotherhood and punished them for rebelling against the Party. After months of trying to torture Winston with no success, Winston is sent off to Room 101. Room 101 is the final destination for those who oppose the Party. In that room, those that oppose the Party are subject to face their worst fears, or to conform and accept the Party and Big Brother.
English (US) ·