It's here, it's here! All across the land today Whedonites rejoiced! The latest offering from our benevolent leader, 'In Your Eyes' released the first three minutes on Entertainment Weekly ahead of the film's premiere at the Tribeca this weekend. Still without a release date, Whedon and company are probably hoping to drum up interest so the movie doesn't languish in distributor purgatory like 'Cabin In The Woods' did.
'In Your Eyes' tells the story of two WWII era people who grow up with a unique and mysterious metaphysical bond which allows them to see through each other's eyes while one of them is asleep. It starts at childhood and blossoms into a love story as both try to balance having a life and being intimately connected with another human being on the other side of the country world during a deadly war on which they are opposing sides…wait wait wait. That's not right. Silly me. That's the plot for the webcomic 'Dreamless' which completed its run four years ago. How embarrassing. One moment.
Image Credit: Dreamless
Let's try this again. 'In Your Eyes' is the story of two WWII era modern day people who grow up with a unique and mysterious metaphysical bond which allows them to see through each other's eyes while one of them is asleep both of them are awake. It starts at childhood and blossoms into a love story as both try to balance having a life and being intimately connected with another human being on the other side of the world during a deadly war on which they are opposing sides country during a time of relative peace and prosperity and sharing the same culture if not the same socioeconomic status. Huh…that's odd.
'Dreamless' was the brainchild of webcomic writer Bobby Crosby and illustrator Sarah Ellerton about what it would be like to live two lives. Born on the same day in 1923 American girl Elenor and Japanese boy Takashi are somehow mentally linked. Living on opposite sides of the world, they never actually sleep but instead 'dream' themselves into the mind of the other. From the time they are infants they realize they're special, becoming close friends and eventually, inevitably falling in love. The story delves into what it would be like to have a second person in your head, how it would rewire your learning center and make you socially awkward. It deals with being unable to explain how you know things or why you don't want to go to war with a country you're supposed to hate and fear. They even touch on how you reconcile being in love with a person you'll never see with trying to live a fulfilling life…spoiler, you can't. You can read the whole thing here. Warning:(?) Potential spoilers for 'In Your Eyes'?
Now it's true there are no new ideas and when you boil it down to basics there are only two stories…a person goes on a journey or there's a knock at the door. But these are some startling coincidences.
Of course, one could argue both parties being awake for Whedon's story makes it different enough and hey man just back off or we will cut you.
But then again one could argue one party needing to be asleep doesn't translate well on screen. Even if the awake party is taking out loud to themselves and looking like the most clean-cut crazy person in existence, without something to play off of – even a ghost vision in a mirror or reflection – the audience isn't going to come along on this journey to Lifetime's Supernatural Movie of the Week.
Of course, one could argue setting it in modern day changes the premise enough and seriously back off Whedon cause we're pretty serious about cutting you and are starting to organize our Jayne hats and snap-dance moves.
But then again one could argue period pieces with supernatural elements are a harder sell than 'Joss Whedon does Nicolas Sparks' as 'In Your Eyes' has been pitched.
Of course, one could argue 'Dreamless' is a webcomic lurking on the fringes of the Internet and who's even heard of it anyway much less someone as powerful as Whedon and we're Googling your location now so time to step off bitch.
But then again one could argue 'Dreamless' artist Sarah Ellerton is consistently on 'Best Of' webcomic lists year after year and is well-known in her circles.
Of course, one could argue oh my God why do you even remember the plot of a story you read four years ago in one binge sitting well enough to call out Joss Whedon for maybe possibly lifting the concept and do you really think he would do that?! But then again, one could argue what if he did?