The Stars That Beckon
ACTION ADVENTURE COMEDY DRAMA EPIC SCI-FI SUSPENSE/THRILLER MYSTERY
Future
Kevin J Simington
TaleFlick Pick!
Logline
A band of desperate survivors flee from a dying Earth on board mankind's first starship, but awaken from cryogenic stasis to discover that their close encounter with a rogue black hole has thrust them thousands of years into the future. They awaken to face a deadly threat on a new world.
Genre
Action,Adventure,Comedy,Drama,Epic,Sci-fi,Suspense/Thriller,Mystery
Short Summary
A rapid onset nuclear exchange between two world superpowers forces the untimely departure of mankind's recently completed starship, Genesis. A hip, young history professor with a missing wife who turns out to be a hostile secret agent is unexpectedly drawn into an adventure of cosmic proportions.
A battle for survival takes place on Nova; a planet that has been strangely abandoned by humanity, leaving indecipherable advanced technology in place. The colonists narrowly avert catastrophe but face the realisation that they are being manipulated by a malignant artificial intelligence.
Setting
Space.
Based on a True Story
No
Plot - Premise
Voyage and Return,Quest,Overcoming Monster/Villain
Plot - Other Elements
Twist,Happy Ending,Philosophical Questions
Mature Audience Themes
Information not completed
Main Character Details
Name: Zac Perryman
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Role: Protagonist
Key Traits: Adventurous,Empathetic,Faithful,Underdog,Honorable,Educated,Modest,Selfless,Funny,Romantic,Complex,Clumsy,Insecure
Additional Character Details
Name: Natasha Martinez
Age: 30
Gender: Female
Role: Skeptic
Key Traits: Complex,Confident,Sarcastic,Funny,Badass,Aggressive,Sexy,Blunt,Outspoken,Skillful,Heroic
Additional Character Details
Name: Dr Simon Wisecroft
Age: 50
Gender: Male
Role: antagonist
Key Traits: Villainous,Complex,Confident,Decisive,Greedy,Leader,Narcisstic,Insecure,Blunt,Power Hungry,Outspoken,Secretive,Manipulative
Additional Character Details
Name: Keo Ka'aukai
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Role: sidekick
Key Traits: Complex,Empathetic,Faithful,Gracious,Educated,Honorable,Modest,Religious,Selfless,Funny,Visionary
Development Pitch
I am constantly inundated with fan mail from readers asking if the book will be made into a film. The characters are quirky and the action is relentless. Readers have particularly fallen in love with the central protagonist, Zac, who is witty, whimsical and unconventional, and who surprises himself with his heroic actions. His whimsical and often hilarious interactions with several other characters provide a much needed counterpoint of relief for the constant tension of the unfolding drama. The central premise of the story is also quite unique: a bedraggled and underprepared band of survivors awaken from cryogenic stasis to find that they have been thrust 3,000 years into the future after their starship's encounter with the event horizon of a rogue black hole. The planet they had targeted, an uninhabited Earth-like exoplanet, has been colonised and strangely abandoned in the intervening years, providing loads of mystery and danger as the plot unfolds. The constant feedback from readers that "this would make a great movie!" indicates its potential to be a successful film.
Genre
ACTION, SUSPENSE, FANTASY, DRAMA
Brief
After WWIII caused an environmental holocaust in the northeren hemisphere, humanity lives only in the South and develops space colonies. Zac is an Australian scientist brought to the moon city to find his missing wife. Only, he doesn't know where she is and while he's there Earth is attacked. The remaining colony humans are forced to be cryogenically frozen and sent on a starship in order to survive but when they wake up they are far too into the future to make sense of things.
Overall Rating
EXCELLENT
Narrative Elements
Authors Writing Style: GOOD
Characterization: GOOD
Commerciality: EXCELLENT
Franchise Potential: EXCELLENT
Pace: GOOD
Premise: EXCELLENT
Structure: GOOD
Theme: GOOD
Accuracy of Book Profile
The book profile does mirror the narrative. Rather than the development pitch talking about fan reactions it is better to remove the first person references and reader references to focus solely on the story. The pitch minus this does a good expanding from the logline and summary why the book is marketable.
Draw of Story
The story always develops in unexpected ways such as a catastrophe that changes the course of the plan. For example what seemed like a space noir finding Zac's cheating wife in the beginning quickly shifts into a survival action narrative after the attack with hints of intergalactic warfare.
Possible Drawbacks
While the dialogue is fun and snappy the way the characters jokingly insult one another can feel a different tone with their normal distinct speech patterns and more homogeneous within sarcasm itself rather than a variation of the individual characters.
Use of Special Effects
THE STORY RELIES HEAVILY ON SPECIAL EFFECTS
Primary Hook of Story
The hook is when the space elevator is forced to detach because the south gets attacked possibly by the same problems that caused the Faith Wars. This shows that the story is not just a missing person mystery but a far greater societal mystery.
Fanbase Potential
This could have a large fanbase due to its realistic but imaginative space scenarios and good pacing for its action scenes. It has the potential to be quite commercially popular.
Awards Potential
Without more apparent themes and greater character development this is unlikely to have awards potential for acting, but could definitely gain recognition for special effects due to the imaginative setting.
Envisioned Budget
LARGE BUDGET
Similar Films/TV Series
LOST, PASSENGERS, SNOWPIERCER, SPACE SWEEPERS, LUCID DREAM, STAR WARS, ELYSIUM, MARTIANS, THE WANDERING EARTH
What’s New About the Story
The originality stems from the space situations the characters are forced into due to war and unforeseen time travel beyond the planned scope. Creating further character development to match the fast pacing of the action will increase the emotional investment of the story and add depth through strengthening the themes.
Lead Characters
Zac is well-meaning, honest and curious. Jaz is adaptable, kind and warm. Keo is good-natured, loyal and smart. Kit thinks for herself and is hopeful.
Uniqueness of Story
This has enough action going for it to be a unique space story although some side characters could be more dynamic in the wake of such a plot driven narrative. The world building is expansive and the pacing is decent.
Possible Formats
Film: Streaming, Indie, Studio TV Series: Streaming, Cable, Network
Analyst Recommendation
CONSIDER
Justification
The plot and the ending have a lot of potential with either being a film or a television series. The pacing is consistent and the scenarios are surprising but logical. The characters are likable although some could have more inner conflict work development if meant to be an ensemble piece rather than Zac as the protagonist. The setting and rich world building would allow for multiple avenues of storytelling and franchise.