A classic sci-fi novel is about to head to the big screen, as Deadline reports that Paramount is about to close a deal for producer Mary Parent (Monster Trucks) and finally get its hands on the film rights for The Stars My Destination, written by Alfred Bester. The novel is considered to be one of the best science fiction stories out there. It was first published as a book in the UK under the title Tiger! Tiger!, based on William Blake's poem “The Tyger,” because the first verse is printed as the first page of Bester’s book.

The gist of the story centers around a man named Gulliver Foyle, who has been marooned in space for years. When a rescue ship finally passes by him without picking him up, the man becomes hell-bent on revenge. Foyle sports tattoos on his face (hence that strange book cover image), which are later removed. However, the scars left underneath his skin become visible when Foyle’s emotions get out of whack. The story includes telepathy and teleportation.

Bester’s story was serialized in the 1950s (beginning in October 1956, to be exact) in four parts in Galaxy magazine, which was one of the biggest pulp science fiction magazines at the time. It’s said the story was inspired by an article published in National Geographic about a shipwrecked sailor trapped on a raft who couldn’t get rescued by passing ships because they feared he was a decoy for German (Nazi) submarines. It’s also a bit of an adaptation of Alexandre Dumas’ The Count of Monte Cristo.

The Stars My Destination has had a long history of failed adaptations. Richard Gere, Paul W.S. Anderson and Bernd Eichinger were all at one point attached to adapt Bester’s book over the past two decades. But if this deal finally goes through with Paramount, we may finally get to see it in all its sci-fi glory. Are you looking forward to having the classic sci-fi story get the big-screen adaptation it deserves?

(via Deadline)