It’s always fascinating to see a filmmaker progress and grow. Drake Doremus’ early indie films like “Spooner” and “Douchebag” were lumped in with the lo-fi mumblecore movement, but he quickly expanded beyond that realm with the touching long-distance romance “Like Crazy,” a film that introduced many to Felicity Jones and even featured an early role by Jennifer Lawrence. While maintaining his free-form style—a lot of improvisation built around loosely visualized scenes—his approach is a method, not a madness, and each film grows with confidence. His last picture, “Breathe In,” illustrated how heavyweights like Guy Pearce and Amy Ryan effortlessly fit into this exploratory form. He even discovered another new stand-out in Mackenzie Davis.
For his next trick, Doremus is attempting something very different, a traditionally scripted sci-fi film, and one with a terrific cast. Starring Kristen Stewart and Nicholas Hoult, plus Guy Pearce, Jacki Weaver Kate Lyn Sheil and Toby Huss ("Halt And Catch Fire"), the filmmaker’s next project is called “Equals,” and is a futuristic love story where human emotions—love, hate, envy, all the rest— have been eradicated. Written by Nathan Parker, the screenwriter behind indie sci-fi hit “Moon,” the twist is a disease called SOS (Switch On Syndrome) that begins to free dangerous feelings—and the afflicted are exiled from society.
"I’m terrified of it," Stewart said in an interview a few months before shooting started this summer. "Though it’s a movie with a really basic concept, it’s overtly ambitious. In ‘Equals,’ things go wrong because you can’t deny the humanity in everyone. It’s the most devastating story."
“The story has been compared to ‘1984,’ but it’s not that at all,” producer Ann Ruark said during a press conference this summer in Tokyo, where some of the movie was filmed. “It’s a love story–it’s not dystopian, it’s Utopian.”
Meanwhile Ridley Scott’s production company, Scott free Films, has released the first photo, which is fittingly alluring, moody and sexy. “Equals” is set for release sometime in 2015. If we’re lucky, and it’s ready, the film probably has a good shot at premiering at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival.
The ONLY thing Kristen "The Cheater" Stewart OWNS is a bad reputation. Breathe In is ROTTEN on RT and the audience score is even lower. Doremus is not a great director and this movie will suck, just like Breathe In. And as for lacking in originality, this still is just like the Breathe In poster, down to the blue tint. A hack is a hack is a hack.
Keep trying, Copy/Paste Troll. keep hunting down every Kristen Stewart article. You are her #1 fan. She simply compared it to 1984 and the director flat-out said it has nothing to do with it. The screenwriter has gotten heaps of praise for his prior work. Everyone expects a real original twist on what is, yes, a pretty basic concept. Glad you think you know more based off a small synopsis and a picture. Why would Equals be "worse" if it\’s a romance? That\’s what Doremus thrives with, and that\’s what they\’re seeking here: a futuristic romance. You keep crying as Kristen Stewart keeps getting hired. She owns you.
I was browsing the site and was taken aback. It reminded me of the end of Vertigo.
Despite what the producer is saying now, Equals is just an unnecessary remake of of 1984 (Kristen herself made the comparison), The Giver, and Christian Bale\’s Equilibrium. Most dystopian/uptopian novels and movies have a lot in common and they all go back to Orwell\’s 1984 and Huxley\’s Brave New World for inspiration.
But Equals is also a rip off of the novel Delirium by Lauren Oliver, in that it\’s a dystopian society in year 2099 (check), people basically dead to the world or uniform (check), half-robot/human cyborg wants to have feelings/be a real boy/girl (check), world peace all around but everyone is a clone (check).
But what makes Equals even worse is that it\’s more a romance than a suspense film. The producers are obviously just trying to cash in on that Twilight audience, so it\’s Bella in the future. Like Joe Roth said, he hired Stewart for SWATH simply because "she\’s known for one role, Bella."
Weird – why cheater fans does not want to comment on her article. Instead they keep going to to Robert and Tahliah\’s news. So many space her!! Weird people!
She\’d already received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress when Like Crazy came out.
Equals\’ concept sounds so YA novel cliche but I just saw Moon and loved it so I\’m gonna trust Nathan Parker and hey if nothing at least it\’ll be pretty w/ Drake on board
Doremus is such an interesting director, he holds emotional tension unlike any other, I\’d almost think he wasn\’t, or couldn\’t, be an American director. He\’s the ultimate angst purveyor in Like Crazy and Breathe In – makes for a stressful experience compared to standard rom-com fare, but somehow unsettling and really satisfying in equal measure. \’Equals\’ should be very worth a watch, especially considering it\’s a Nathan Parker script.
wish they stop trying to make hoult happen. his creepy face is too much.
love these two, just that one pic above was the most trended on variety last night in an hour when it firdt came out, you can sense the chemistry just from their profiles and stance
Jennifer Lawrence was in Doremus\’ movie "Like Crazy." It was one of her earlier roles, before she really blew up into the star she is now.
"…and even Jennifer Lawrence in an early role". Huh?…what do you mean by that?. Even as compared to what?.
It\’s….just a photo, a profile. It isn\’t particularly sexy or moody…it is sort of just there (LOL!). Anyway, what I really want to know is, Edward Davis, are you on either Hoult or Stewart\’s payroll?.
Huge fan of Doremus\’ prior work. This still looks very intense. Stewart and Hoult are two very talented actors, and I can imagine them having great chemistry. Very excited for this movie.