By Rudie Obias | 8 years ago

Two of the biggest names in science fiction are teaming up to make a new movie that will be in the spirit of Steven Spielberg’s films of the late 1970s. No, it’s not J.J. Abrams, but his partner-in-crime Damon Lindelof, who will be joining forces with director Brad Bird to deliver a new sci-fi film for Disney.

According to Vulture.com, the pair are teaming up for a film called 1952. Lindelof will co-write the script with Bird, who will also write and direct the film. The Close Encounters of the Third Kind-inspired script will center on a Roy Neary-like character. (Roy Neary was the protagonist of Close Encounters of the Third Kind, played brilliantly by Richard Dreyfuss.) Very little else is known about the project except that it will not take place in the year 1952. There were rumors that 1952 would surround mysterious UFO sightings around Washington D.C. and an alien encounter, but it turns out that information was false.

In June of 2011, Damon Lindelof signed a seven-figure deal with Disney to write an original science fiction blockbuster after the writer gained success with the TV series Lost from 2004 – 2010. Lost was broadcast on ABC, which is owned by Disney. Also in 2011, director Brad Bird directed his first live-action film, Mission: Impossible — Ghost Protocol. Bird received critical and commercial success as one of the “big” directors from Pixar, with his past films including The Incredibles in 2004 and Ratatouille in 2007. Brad Bird made a name for himself with his family-friendly animated film, The Iron Giant, in 1999.

Damon Lindelof was one of the writers on this summer’s polarizing Ridley Scott sci-fi fil,m Prometheus. Needless to say, Lindelof’s name isn’t as solid as it used to be, so maybe working with Brad Bird will boost his sci-fi geek credibility.

The 1952 movie project will start off with a viral marketing campaign that will consist of a treasure hunt that will give its participants clues on the film’s mysteries and build awareness for the project. Hopefully the film will be as intriguing as its mysteries and treasure hunt unlike some of Lindelof’s scripts.

Damon Lindelof image by Gage Skidmore

Brad Bird image by Kelli Townley