If you are at all familiar with the behind the scenes crews of modern superhero movies, chances are you know who David Goyer is. If you don't, the bottom line is he has a reputation for collaborating on some of the best comic film scripts (Blade, “story by” credit on The Dark Knight) while having some of the most disastrous solo projects (The Invisible, The Unborn).
Despite his lack of success as a standalone writer/director, Goyer simply will not quit. Deadline has it that Warner Bros. has bought the rights to his (unpublished) sci-fi book trilogy, the first book titled Heaven's Shadow, slated for release in 2011.
The story begins when it is revealed that an unknown object is on a collision course for Earth. As competition builds between nations in a race to reach the object first, it is later discovered that the object harbors alien life forms, bent on decimating humanity.
Warner Bros. is moving forward with Goyer attached to script “Shadow” and likely optioning him in for the subsequent sequels, Heaven's War and Heaven's Fall. Given Goyer's involvement in past Warner Bros. projects, it goes to show how a good working relationship can outlast poor performances from time to time.
It also helps Goyer when he is lined up to help on the untitled Christopher Nolan helmed/Jonathan Nolan scripted “Batman” sequel as well as the reboot of the “Superman” franchise, also being “godfathered” by Christopher Nolan with Jonathan being rumored for director; both of which are Warner Bros. projects. It's all fine and well when he is working with others, especially when they are far more talented than he is. Nobody doubts that the Nolan brothers can produce high-caliber films without Goyer's aid; just look at Memento or Inception.
However, the “Heaven” series is a bit of a gamble for Warner Bros. The book series has yet to be released, meaning there is virtually no public exposure for the film via the books; never mind nobody knows if the books will be any good. After all, they are the first novels Goyer has ever written and he's writing them on his own. When such a scenario created The Unborn, one might warn Warner Bros. of blood in the water.
Yet Goyer still keeps getting work, if only because his resume includes Batman Begins and The Dark Knight. Perhaps his “Heaven” series will be a major shifting point and Goyer will be able to prove he is capable of making movies on his own. Otherwise, Warner Bros. stands to lose a lot of money (they are sci-fi novels after all) and Goyer is more than likely to remain a secondary player in the production future.
