Annihilation thread #3 (ch 5 Dissolution) SPOILERS THROUGH END OF BOOK

[A.]

Huge, exciting movie update! I've just found a short article that names the whole cast of major players in Annihilation. I didn't even know they'd firmly settled on anyone beyond Natalie Portman and Tessa Thompson, but apparently they signed on the other two team members at some point - and now they've rounded out the cast with (swoon) Oscar Isaac! The last time I posted here, I didn't even know who he was; but since The Force Awakens came out I've fallen madly in lust with him and have watched most of his other movies. That includes Ex Machina, which was written and directed by the same guy who'll be doing Annihilation; and Ex Machina is five-star perfection. Now my hopes for the Annihilation movie have gone through the roof. Really, if you haven't seen Ex Machina yet, rent it immediately. You'll be astounded.

So...

1. Oscar Isaac can only be playing the biologist's husband. It'll be interesting to see what he does with the role. I imagine we'll get to see a sexy, charismatic pre-Area X version of him then a confused and flattened post-Area X version. And because Oscar Isaac is Oscar Isaac, we'll really understand what the biologist has lost. I already understand her better, just imagining OI as her husband.

2. We know Natalie Portman is playing the biologist, and that's pretty nearly perfect casting.

3. Of the other three actresses involved, I'm assuming Jennifer Jason Leigh is playing the psychologist because it's such a significant role and requires major acting chops. She's not the first person I'd have thought of for the part, but I'm excited she's doing it because she's so damn good.

4. I don't know anything about the other two actresses. Does anybody want to guess which of them is playing which of the other two characters?

Finally, here's the link to the article.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Pretty awesome. Thanks for the update, A. I'll have to see if I can get ahold of Ex Machina.

[A.]

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "Pretty awesome. Thanks for the update, A. I'll have to see if I can get ahold of Ex Machina."

It's easy enough to rent since it's new. And after watching it, I have total faith in Alex Garland to do right by Annihilation. The guy already had a bunch of great screenplays under his belt (including 28 Days Later and Never Let me Go), and now he's proved he can direct too.

[Nate D]

Stephen wrote: "Whitney wrote: "Vadermeer denies that Roadside Picnic was an influence, but that is the one that I (and quite a few others) were immediately reminded of in Annihilation. The idea of a..."

Yeah, to me it instantly felt like a more self-aware and non-xenophobic Lovecraft specifically attempting to re-write Roadside Picnic. I loved Roadside Picnic, but this is good in a different way. I like how we just dive straight into the Zone (Area X that is) rather than being briefly tantalized and then dying for the next visit.

I've been reading these in parallel, by the way, then suddenly recalled I could come back in here to the discussion. Actually done through the end of book two, so jumping over to that thread now...