Lupita Nyong’o got her first taste of sci-fi playing Maz Kanata in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, but she may be about to drop the CGI makeup and take on a much more prominent role in the high-profile sci-fi thriller, Intelligent Life. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Nyong’o is in negotiations.
Intelligent Life sounds like it’s going to be a pretty big deal – the movie is being produced by Steven Spielberg and Frank Marshall for Amblin Entertainment, and is based on a script by Jurassic World mastermind Colin Trevorrow and his regular writing partner Derek Connolly. The producers are hoping to land Selma helmer Ava DuVernay as director. They’re going to have to fight to land the in-demand DuVernay, but hey, when Steven Spielberg comes calling, most people are willing to go along.
Intelligent Life is about an ambassador who works for a secret UN department assigned to greet any aliens that might try to contact Earth. Said ambassador meets a woman (presumably played by Nyong’o) and a romance blooms, but it’s eventually discovered she’s actually an alien. Whoops! Apparently this ambassador didn’t read their UN alien spotting handbook.
If the producers can get everybody to sign on the dotted line, Intelligent Life will likely begin production this summer.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
