The overwhelming love received by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s “Project Hail Mary” is a testament to the film’s extraordinary merits. This hopeful sci-fi epic, based on Andy Weir’s eponymous book, was also shaped by the author’s active involvement, which it undoubtedly benefited from. Weir’s perception of this blockbuster adaptation is positive, similar to the praise he had for Ridley Scott and Matt Damon’s 2015 space adventure, “The Martian.”
Hollywood has struck gold with every Andy Weir adaptation so far, making it imperative to look at more stories that might deliver similar results. Apart from “Artemis,” Weir’s sci-fi novel set on the moon, you might’ve heard of “The Egg,” the acclaimed short story that ponders existential questions. While “The Egg” has been adapted across mediums, Weir’s heist short story, “Randomize,” also deserves an inspired adaptation on film.
“Randomize” was published as a part of 2019’s “Forward: Stories of Tomorrow,” a collection of sci-fi short stories curated by author Blake Crouch (whose “Recursion” impressed Weir to the point that he can’t stop recommending it). The collection also includes entries by Veronica Roth (best known for her “Divergent” book series), N. K. Jemisin (“Inheritance Trilogy”), Amor Towles (“The Lincoln Highway”), Paul G. Tremblay (author of “The Cabin at the End of the World,” which was adapted into M. Night Shyamalan’s “Knock at the Cabin”), and Crouch himself. There’s a lot to glean from “Forward,” which highlights the wide range that science fiction boasts as a genre. Weir’s short is compelling, as the author uses his ability to simplify complex concepts (like quantum computing!) into a smart, taut heist thriller set inside a futuristic casino.
That said, what is so special about “Randomize?” Let’s dive deeper into the intriguing world of Weir’s short story.
Weir’s heist short could very well be the next entry in the Ocean’s franchise
Everybody loves a good heist movie. Think about the perfection that is “Ocean’s Eleven,” a film that makes the most out of its stunning ensemble cast to tell a story about people who are very good at achieving the impossible. Weir’s heist story opens with IT whiz Nick Chen, who holds a managerial position at Vegas’ Babylon Casino. His job is to oversee the random number generator, which runs the casino’s Keno system. This mundane job is complicated by the advent of quantum supercomputers, which can track and predict randomized numbers.
To make the most out of this technological advancement, Nick gets the green light to install a secure, air-gapped quantum computer to generate truly random numbers for Babylon Casino. Elsewhere, a couple decides to leverage quantum computing to hack the system and cheat the casino out of an exorbitant amount of money. Weir weaves a fast-paced heist based on this premise, which would’ve fared even better as a full-length novel. This is where a worthwhile adaptation comes in — it can take the most fascinating elements from Weir’s short story and turn it into a brilliant, science-backed heist of a lifetime.
Weir’s involvement in a potential “Randomize” adaptation would be of great help, especially when it comes to translating scientific jargon into a kinetic, high-stakes adventure. Although science needs to be at the forefront of any Weir adaptation, it doesn’t have to be its core focus. Scott famously couldn’t wrap his head around the science in “The Martian,” but it didn’t stop him from conveying the basics with great skill and intuition. While “Randomize” is too short for its own good, a meaty adaptation could help elevate such a thought-provoking story.
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