Tobey Maguire To Star In Z For Zachariah

Robert C O’Brien’s 1974 novel Z For Zachariah is one of the most deceptively simple post-apocalyptic SF novels ever written with a cast of two and one location – a valley, which, for peculiar climatic reasons, has avoided contamination by nerve gas and nuclear war which has wiped out most of the rest of the planet.

It’s the story of a 16 year-old  girl, Ann, who’s struggling to keep a farm in the valley going, whose routine is interrupted by the arrival of a  (what we would now call) hazmat suit-wearing scientist, Loomis, whom may or may not be a threat.

It sound a little dull put like that. It isn’t. It’s riveting. And quite subtle, because Ann is what’s known as an unreliable narrator – we see Loomis through her eyes, and she may not be totally unbiased. Ostensibly it’s “young adult” but don’t let that put you off.

A big screen version has been way too long coming, although there was a BBC version in 1984 (tellingly produced under the Play For Today banner and not for Children’s TV) with Anthony Andrews as Loomis, which moved the action from the States to Wales. Very good it was too.

But now finally a film is being made, reports Variety, with Tobey Maguire starring as Loomis (he’s also producing alongside The Hunger Games director Gary Ross). Craig Zobel (Compliance) has signed on to direct.

It’s not going to be a blockbuster, but if it’s done right, it could be a little gem of a movie.

Although we will have to put up with hearing it called “Zeeeeeee For Zachariah” presumably.