Duncan Jones, who made his feature debut with the low-budget flick Moon, has committed to direct Source Code with Jake Gyllenhaal in the lead spot. The science fiction film follows a United States soldier who must discover the perpetrator behind a train bombing by repeatedly living through the few minutes preceding the event via a virtual simulation. Ben Ripley (The Watch) wrote the original draft, then Billy Ray (Shattered Glass, Breach) made revisions. Screen Daily reports that production is scheduled for the first quarter of next year.
I seem to be among the few who were not so impressed by Moon, but I’m a fan of any director interested in bringing original science fiction stories to the screen. I’m also interested in rewatching Moon upon its home video release to see if I can figure out what everyone else saw. I just found it devoid of suspense and I couldn’t engage with the story’s stakes. It was, however, quite impressive on its technical qualities.
Jones is also attached to direct Escape from the Deep, a true story about a World War II sub that was hit by its own torpedo and the ensuing struggle for survival. He’s also planning yet another sci-fi film called Mute which would take place in a future Berlin where a mute barkeeper is unraveling the mystery of his partner’s disappearance. Additionally, it takes place in the same universe as Moon and is intended to feature a cameo by Sam Rockwell.
