American Horror Story Creator Making Science Fiction Movie With Apollo 18 Writer

By David Wharton | Updated

This article is more than 2 years old

Big-screen science fiction is undergoing a bit of a resurgence lately, between J.J. Abrams reinvigorating the Star Trek franchise and Ridley Scott returning to the genre with the much-awaited Prometheus. Last fall’s Apollo 18 tried to merge science fiction with the also-hot trend of found-footage horror…with mixed results. Apollo 18 writer Brian Miller isn’t done with SF, however, and he’s teaming up with a big name from TV for his next project. Miller will collaborate with Ryan Murphy (American Horror Story) for a new, top secret science fiction/horror movie for Sony Pictures.

The concept of the feature is under wraps, so all Variety can tell us is that Miller and Murphy will co-write the script, and Murphy will produce alongside John Palermo (Drive). Murphy hasn’t really tackled science fiction before, but he’s been honing his horror instincts this past season on FX’s American Horror Story. He’s also incredibly busy, exec producing both that show and Fox’s hit Glee.

Given Murphy’s AHS experience and Miller’s work on Apollo 18, it’s no surprise that they’ll be merging horror with science fiction. That’s also a good recipe for terror, ever since Ridley Scott introduced a generation to just how scary claustrophobic metal corridors and strobing emergency lights could be. It can also go wrong, as proved by Event Horizon or the last act of the otherwise excellent Sunshine.

Will Murphy and Miller’s collaboration be anywhere near successful as Scott’s high water mark for the genre? Probably not, but it might be as good as the first two-thirds of Sunshine. Either way, stay tuned to GFR for more news on the project as we hear it.