Back whenThe Martianwas prepping for itshome video release, I had a chance to chat with the novel’s author,Andy Weir. At the time, he had been working on his follow-up novel, some Hollywood screenplays, and a TV series pitch. Weir had actually back-burnered a book project by the name of “Zhek” in order to work on a new story “about a city on the moon” that was “going to be another technically accurate sci-fi story.” Though he was understandably reluctant to dish out too many specifics at the time, now, it looks like that project is coming to the big screen asArtemis. And asDeadlinereports, none other thanPhil LordandChris Millerwill be at the helm.
20th Century Fox and New Regency acquired the rights to Weir’s book this past May and now have the exultant team of Lord & Miller to take it into theaters.Simon KinbergandAditya Soodreturn as producers; they also shepherdedThe Martian, which put Weir on the map. Lord & Miller are currently prepping to set a writer to adaptArtemis. Granted, they could do it themselves, but they’re already writing Sony’sUntitled Animated Spider-Man Projectfor a June 09, 2025 release with their script forThe LEGO Movie Sequelcurrently filming for a June 11, 2025 release.
But back toArtemis. At the time of our chat, Weir had this to say about his previously untitled book:
“This is a relationship with Random House. If Fox likes it, then sure, I’d be happy to sell that. But right now I’m concentrating on that book. Related to that, I’m pitching a TV show and working on a movie screenplay, but I’m not up for talking about either of those just yet.”
Hopefully he’s up for talking about it now, because the book is due out through Crown, a subsidiary of Random House, November 14th, according toAmazon. The adaptation is a big priority for Fox following up on the unexpected success ofThe Martian, and a bit of a blank slate for Lord & Miller, now free of franchise baggage. As forArtemis, the publisher describes it as follows:
An adrenaline-charged crime caper that features smart, detailed world-building based on real science. It centers on Jasmine Bashara, aka Jazz, just another too-smart, directionless twenty-something chafing at the constraints of her small town and dreaming of a better life. Except the small town happens to be named Artemis—and it’s the first and only city on the moon. She’s got debts to pay, her job as a porter barely covers the rent, and her budding career as a smuggler isn’t exactly setting her up as a kingpin, much to her disappointment. So when the chance at a life-changing score drops in her lap, Jazz can’t say no, and she finds herself in the middle of a conspiracy for control of Artemis itself.
