The original movie starred Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr.
Enemy Mine
Terry Matalas, who led the final season of Star Trek: Picard to critical and commercial success, will now be writing an update of the 1985 cult sci-fi film Enemy Mine for 20th Century Studios.
Set in the distant future where humanity is at war with a reptilian alien species, Enemy Mine features a human pilot, played by Dennis Quaid, and an alien, portrayed by Louis Gossett Jr., who crash land on a desolate planet. The hostile pair must overcome their deep-seated hatred to survive together. The stakes rise when the human pilot takes responsibility for caring for the alien’s baby when the reptilian is incapacitated.
Matalas earned his reputation in the sci-fi TV realm through series like 12 Monkeys and MacGyver. However, it was his work on Picard, where he moved from writer in season two to showrunner in its third season, that made him a favorite among studio executives. Matalas managed to breathe new life into the series, gaining significant viewership and positive critical reception. His efforts were recognized with a WGA nomination.
During a subsequent meeting with Kurtzman, Star Trek novelist Kirsten Beyer, and screenwriter James Duff, Stewart reiterated how he had no real interest in revisiting Picard, believing he’d explored all he could with that character’s story.
The original Enemy Mine, based on Barry B. Longyear’s novella published in Isaac Asimov’s Science Fiction magazine in 1979, was helmed by Wolfgang Petersen. It became Petersen’s English-language debut after original director Richard Loncraine was replaced during production. Despite its troubled release, the film garnered later acclaim for its themes of tolerance and unity.
The novella won the prestigious Nebula Award for Best Novella and was followed by two sequels that expanded it into a trilogy known as The Enemy Papers. Wolfang Petersen directed classics such as Troy, The Perfect Storm, and Das Boot. Petersen passed away due to pancreatic cancer. He directed Dennis Quaid and Louis Gossett Jr.
Matalas’ efforts on Picard also caught the attention of Marvel’s Kevin Feige, leading to his appointment as showrunner for an upcoming Marvel Television series featuring White Vision from Marvel’s Paul Bettany is expected to reprise his role as White Vision from Marvel’s WandaVision TV show.
Steve Asbell, president of 20th Century Studios, has also shown confidence in Matalas’ ability by bringing him onboard for this remake. The project marks Matalas’ first feature film venture since his notable success with Picard.Newsletters sign up.
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