ELP Song “Karn Evil 9” Being Developed Into Feature Film
Radar Pictures has secured the rights to “Karn Evil 9”, the futuristic rock song from Emerson, Lake & Palmer, to develop as a science fiction/horror film. New York Times best-selling author Daniel H. Wilson is writing the script, centered on a society that has drained all its blood with a dependence on technology. Michael Napoliello and Maria Frisk will produce for Radar. The project is being developed with the full cooperation of ELP and its management.
Karn Evil 9 will be executive produced by Radar’s Ted Field, whose 30 years in the film industry have led to worldwide box office grosses topping $8 billion. He has produced over 60 films, including the Jumanji franchise, the Riddick franchise, Spring Breakers, The Last Samurai and Runaway Bride.
Speaking of the legendary rock song and the forthcoming film, Field said, “The visionary world that ELP created with their recording ‘Karn Evil 9’ is much closer to reality today. Our team at Radar looks forward to bringing this vision of where things may be headed to the big screen and beyond.”
Inspired by the title and lyrics created and recorded by Keith Emerson, Greg Lake, and Carl Palmer, the film takes us into a world controlled by a pervasive and dictatorial technocracy. The annual “Karn Evil” – a macabre rite of passage — is a young person’s once in a lifetime chance to experience unbridled freedom, before subjugating themselves to the ruling class. When people stop returning from their Karn Evil experience, fear drives a revolution to topple the status quo and the artificial intelligence discovered at its heart.
Writer Daniel H. Wilson has a long history in science fiction, including New York and LA Times best-seller Robopocalypse, LA Times best-seller Robogenesis, and his latest, New York and LA Times best-seller The Andromeda Evolution, an authorized stand-alone sequel to Michael Crichton’s classic The Andromeda Strain. Wilson has adapted a number of his works for the screen, most recently penning the script to Robopocalypse for Dreamworks and Michael Bay.
Wilson shared, “I’m incredibly excited to partner with Ted and Radar to explore Karn Evil 9—a unique and thrilling world. I couldn’t ask for better collaborators and I can’t wait to help add the Karn Evil 9 franchise to the Radar family.”
Radar is coming off an impressive year following the box office smash of Jumanji: The Next Level, starring Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan, Nick Jonas, and Awkwafina. Upcoming projects include the television adaptation of Robert Jordan’s epic fantasy series “The Wheel of Time” with Amazon Studios and Sony Pictures Television.
Radar was founded in 1982 through its origin at Interscope Communications. Radar is headed by Ted Field, a proven and respected icon in the entertainment industry with a 30 year plus career as a creative and business executive in movies, music, television and digital media. Radar and its management team have produced over 60 feature films that have generated over $7 Billion in revenue, and is considered one of the industry’s top Producers.
Are you a fan of ELP? Are you excited to see how Karn Evil 9 develops? Let us know in the comments below or on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram! You can also carry on the convo with me personally on Twitter @josh_millican.
