What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next? - io9 Comments

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Tingle — Sun, 04 May 2008 08:29:16 PDT

Has Sci-fi ever hybirded with a Thank You For Smoking type film?

Tingle

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Ton80kid — Sat, 03 May 2008 22:04:03 PDT

Space Gangsters...Can you imagine, DeNiro, Pacino, Walken, Gandolfini, all in a Scorsese directed movie...

Ton80kid

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Space_Crime — Fri, 02 May 2008 05:08:41 PDT

Alien/Robot gangster mishmased with humans is an idea to relish upon.

Space_Crime

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

jbq — Fri, 02 May 2008 02:44:56 PDT

@FrankenPC: Porn. Unless you count that Dalek porno, which certainly isn't canon :-D

jbq

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Signal — Thu, 01 May 2008 23:52:42 PDT

On second thought, Sci-fi pothead buddy movies has been done. Bill and Ted.

There needs to be more Bill and Ted though. Maybe they'll travel to the future and meet bodacious cyborg babes.

Signal

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Zantor — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:53:43 PDT

@Signal: That's a thought...

"Hey, good nybor man!"

Zantor

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Mathmos — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:27:03 PDT

@FrankenPC: But I'd have to watch Dr. Who to take your challenge. I concede.

Mathmos

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

reddingofish — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:25:56 PDT

With all the great SciFi in print, how come they keep stealing ideas from Shakespere and Religion?

reddingofish

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

jermom — Thu, 01 May 2008 10:07:32 PDT

@Signal: brilliant

jermom

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

FrankenPC — Thu, 01 May 2008 09:00:07 PDT

Problem is, any genre not already touched by mainstream Hellywood has been exploited by Dr Who. I challenge anyone to find a genre not touched on by Dr Who.

FrankenPC

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

muteboy — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:56:44 PDT

@darcymcgee: Inseminoid! Alien Contamination! Xtro!

muteboy

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

EBone — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:55:30 PDT

@darcymcgee: Agreed. Tiny Fey = WIN

EBone

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

laughingacademy — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:44:57 PDT

@darcymcgee: I must admit that I enjoyed Spaceballs ("Check please!"), but I agree that it isn't up to the level of Blazing Saddles or Young Frankenstein.

I have high hopes for WALL•E, though - a Pixar film starring a cute robot, set on post-apocalyptic Earth and in space! Score!

laughingacademy

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

mikecap — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:42:34 PDT

Ideally, the scifi gangster movie would completely rip off the Mos Eisley cantina and turn it into a whole spinoff show...

mikecap

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

DSTRYA — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:37:28 PDT

here's a look at a scif-dance contest movie:

those robots are SO gonna destroy all humans.

DSTRYA

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

dshramek — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:31:49 PDT

I guess I'm one of the very few who want the Sci-Fi self help book. Either, it could be a funny comedy, like a "self-help" book written in the Culture setting.

Or, more satirically, it could be something like, "Unhappy about yourself? Wait a bit longer. Science will fix it." And it could be about all of the near future science fiction-esque breakthroughs that are about to make life better. From gene-therapy that makes rats "immune" to weight gain to pill that improve cognitive functions. That pixie dust tissue regrowth stuff to get rid of laugh lines or for bigger boobs.

dshramek

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

darcymcgee — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:13:55 PDT

@laughingacademy: Spaceballs, to put it kindly, kind of sucked.

It was no Blazing Saddles.

Young Frankenstein on the other hand...Tina Fey has described this as something that formed her early view of comedy.

Score one for the genre satire. If it gave us Tina Fey, it's doing god's work.

darcymcgee

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Signal — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:12:51 PDT

Sci-fi pothead movies. Harold and Kumar Go to Restaurant at the End of the Universe?

Signal

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

darcymcgee — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:12:28 PDT

@SundaySundayFnC: Didn't Galactica do an episode about that? Starbuck vs. the entire crew or something.

darcymcgee

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

laughingacademy — Thu, 01 May 2008 08:08:52 PDT

@Hes-Dead-Jim: How about the "Genre Satire" genre: Airplane, Scary Movie, etc. It's time that someone made "Sci-Fi Movie"

Sweet Xenu, NO, especially if the Epic/Date/Superhero Movie crowd is involved.

laughingacademy

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

janine — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:58:22 PDT

Sci-Fi and Ugly Betty, because Aliens are Fierce!!!

janine

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Mathmos — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:58:12 PDT

Alien teletubbies

Alien caper movie with truly original and alien crimes and milieu.

Rock opera with alien non-auditory music

Leni Reifenstahl - like propaganda for The Galactic Overlord

Anybody done a good Agatha Christie in Space?

The Whatever it is Whisperer

etc.

Mathmos

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

avconsumer — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:24:15 PDT

Steampunk ray gun toting gangsters would be unique. (and not a remake/prequel/sequel)

avconsumer

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Mathmos — Thu, 01 May 2008 07:08:57 PDT

How about the Pets Make a Trek to Finf Their Owners genre? closest a can think of in scifi is Heinlein's Starbeast, not quite a pet story. Could vary from cutesy alien pets to a bit of Another Roadside Picnic.

Mathmos

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

jbq — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:55:38 PDT

@Freddie Freelance: I believe you might get something similar to what you wish for with Arena...

@Zantor: Ahahaha! You crack me up so bad :-D Well done, sir.

I'm down for the Suburban Angst-schtick. Think how cool Arlington Road would have been if Tim Robbins &co. had been alien mutants instead?

jbq

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

DSTRYA — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:01:20 PDT

science fiction needs to steal more from science fiction.

DSTRYA

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

jaggergren — Thu, 01 May 2008 00:12:10 PDT

Apropos suburban angst novels and Sci-Fi. In Douglas Couplands novel, Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture, there's a sub-plot about a piece of 1970's suburbia being lifted of the face of earth and grafted on to a large asteroid. Now it's inhabitants forever drift through the Kuiper belt living their suburban existence.

jaggergren

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Freddie Freelance — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 22:04:59 PDT

@SundaySundayFnC: I could see something like Jean-Claude Van Damme's BloodSport or Kickboxer crossed with Predator: A human, out for Glory (and revenge against his Brother's killers), enters the Pan-Galactic Kumite in order to defeat the 4-armed current champion and win the love of the hot blue girl of his dreams...

Freddie Freelance

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Jonn — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:09:58 PDT

That reminds me, I have to finish my Serenity/CSI: Miami crossover fanfic.

YEAHHH!

@modernboy: Someone should just lock him in a room with a slot for them to pass papers in. The man's a good continuity editor-or something-but everything he gets directly involved in sucks.

Jonn

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Grey_Area — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 21:03:47 PDT

@moff: Mais oui, Jacques Pepin...en espacer.
It's a cookbook! A COOKBOOK!!

Grey_Area

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

SundaySunday — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 20:13:22 PDT

Bring back the old boxing pictures from the golden age of Hollywood and put them in space or an alternate history.

No, I'm thinking something more cerebral and less like "Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots: The Movie".

SundaySunday

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Dillenger69 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 19:52:54 PDT

@darcymcgee: a perky 7 of 9 in a short pleated skirt and heels would be all kinds of win.

Dillenger69

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

taxbaby — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:34:38 PDT

Um, I'd just like to point out that 'Save the Last Dance' didn't actually involve any dance contests per se; there was dancing, and dance practice, and then she had to dance to get admitted to Juilliard, but it wasn't a dance-off or anything, just the admissions process.
Not, you know, that I've seen it or liked it or anything. /nitpick

taxbaby

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

TychoCelchuuu — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:31:03 PDT

Every fourth episode of Star Trek seemed like a cheerleader movie. "Welcome to the planet of all women! We need Kirk to save us." Etc.

TychoCelchuuu

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Simon Piper — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 18:20:05 PDT

I can see "But I'm a Cheerleader" retold in the setting of some off-world colony, with robot lesbians and evil Amazonian overlords... and a gay guy.

Simon Piper

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

geekzilla — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:21:00 PDT

@Zantor:
"The Holographic entertainment star"
Oooh, space Ginger...

geekzilla

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Final — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 17:20:12 PDT

Would implants be considered bionic parts? If so I might have already seen that cheerleader movie.

Final

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Zantor — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:43:46 PDT

Oh, hell. I'm going to bed.

Zantor

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Zantor — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:31:52 PDT

(sp) add

Zantor

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Zantor — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:29:42 PDT

(sp) flares
(sp) generation
(please ad edit function!)

Zantor

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Zantor — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:27:43 PDT

Just sit right back and hear a tale,
a tale of a fateful trip.

It started in this Cosmodrome,
aboard this tiny space ship.

The mate was a mighty space navigation android,
The Skipper, brave and sure.

Five passengers launched that day,
for a three light year tour.

A three light year tour.

The solar flairs started getting rough,
The tiny space ship was tossed,
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
The Meteor would be lost, the The Meteor would be lost.

The space ship crash landed on the shore of this uncharted tropical planetoid.

With Gilligan 3000
The Skipper too,
The Multi-Billionaire
(inflation)
and his wife,
The Holographic entertainment star
The professor and Mary Ann,
Here on Gilligans Isle: The Next Generstion!

Zantor

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Zantor — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:14:37 PDT

Gilligan's Island: TNG

The "Skipper" and the "Gilligan 3000" comical 1st mate droid of the "SS Meteor, shipwrecks our space castaways on a uncharted tropical planetoid during a three light year tour...

A three light year tour.

Zantor

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

diverguy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 16:11:54 PDT

Does the whole Alien facehugger/chestburster thing count as an "unwanted pregnancy" ???

diverguy

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

darcymcgee — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:55:59 PDT

@moff: Allow me to introduce you to my friend, Bender.

darcymcgee

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

darcymcgee — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:55:26 PDT

@modernboy, : @Silver_Back: So you're saying it would be the Sopranos...in space???

@Dillenger69: Allow me to familiarize you with my friend, Seven of Nine.

darcymcgee

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Silver_Back — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:46:31 PDT

Of all the choices there...I would hope to see a movie about the dreaded Space Mafia.

Silver_Back

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Smeagol92055 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:35:15 PDT

I had a couple of Hutts try to shake me down once, try to muscle in on my turf.
I poured salt on 'em, watched 'em melt.

Fugheddaboudit.

Smeagol92055

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Evil Tortie's Mom — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:32:03 PDT

@Goodnightbabytron: I would pay my $10 to see that.

Evil Tortie's Mom

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

goldfarb — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:28:45 PDT

I'd love to see good sci-fi rom-com...
Hugh Grant is the administrator of a space station...
Sandra Bullock is a fiesty ship captain...
...witty stuff...
...charm...
THE END

writes itself.

goldfarb

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Dillenger69 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:28:03 PDT

Mmmmm ... space cheerleaders.

Dillenger69

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

OW-Holmes — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:21:02 PDT

@mar3nez: You are my new best friend.

Maybe the college movie but in space. Revenge of the Nerds V: Nerds in Space.

I love the idea of the angst novel though. Imagine the voice over: "In space no one can hear you sulk."

OW-Holmes

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

moff — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:19:20 PDT

@moff: Although the Gossip Girl thing should be a priority.

moff

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

asyouwere — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:16:01 PDT

@moff: If the cast consists entirely of cheerleader-gangsters, this idea is perfect.

asyouwere

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

moff — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:10:07 PDT

@Belabras: Possibly. I think there are a lot of ways you could do it. I just wish someone would try.

moff

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

darthweef — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:04:27 PDT

The Quirky Sundancy thing was done with "Pushing up Daisies"

darthweef

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

MonkeyT — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:02:28 PDT

@yatima: Suburban Angst... hmm... Saturn 5?

MonkeyT

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Belabras — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:01:46 PDT

@moff:
You mean like a 3 hour movie about it with multiple ending points and a really cheesy final scene?

Belabras

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

yatima — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:46:26 PDT

Suburban angst... in space: Solaris. The remake even more than the original. (The film, not the operating system.)

@mar3nez: Bwah!

yatima

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

moff — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:45:45 PDT

I wish they would do a movie where a robot learns what it means to love.

moff

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

moff — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:44:34 PDT

I'd like to see some science-fiction cookbooks (USEFUL, PRACTICAL) or like a Gossip Girl: The Next Generation. Maybe set in a more progressive era where lots of teenage nudity and same-sex kissing was actively condoned.

moff

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

MonkeyT — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:43:06 PDT

"Sci-fi Movie"? Good Lord no. That's how we got 2001:A Space Travesty.

MonkeyT

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

MonkeyT — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:41:21 PDT

Cheerleader/Dance movies... done. Looney Tunes: Space Jam.

MonkeyT

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Hes-Dead-Jim — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:31:22 PDT

How about the "Genre Satire" genre: Airplane, Scary Movie, etc. It's time that someone made "Sci-Fi Movie"

Hes-Dead-Jim

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

92BuickLeSabre — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:30:48 PDT

I like the quiet suburban angst...in space.

Just a straight up little indi-flick that happens to be set in a space colony, but really, there is nothing inherently SF about it except as background. Think "You Can Count On Me" except the parents died from the great solar flares of 4842 C.E.

Or think Jetsons, but instead of being unfunny it's just intentionally not funny.

92BuickLeSabre

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Discrete-Daniel — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:27:51 PDT

Children's television!

Boohbah could really use a backstory....

Discrete-Daniel

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

OldDog1 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:27:32 PDT

I am still waiting for a good Pirate Movie, in space.

OldDog1

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Loserface — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:19:12 PDT

These polls anger up my blood

Loserface

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Gyrus — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:17:37 PDT

I like the idea of space Juno. That's more the angle I tackle in my fiction: present day concerns magnified with a few sci-fi tropes used as object lessons.

Gyrus

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Gann — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:09:20 PDT

Mr. Bean.

In space.

Gann

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

CorreLola — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:07:26 PDT

@Belabras: HA!

I still contend that Christopher Moltisanti's screenplay might have been a little sci-fi. People coming back from the dead... Horror, sure; but superheros and Enis and Gaiman characters do it all the time.

CorreLola

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

EBone — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:07:06 PDT

@DocGratis: I said this in another i09 post - Joss Whedon is the Diablo Cody of science fiction.

I know, I know, Joss was around before Diablo. But his characters, especially everyone in Buffy, already sound like Juno in Space.

Bring on the space gangsters. How about "Star Trek: Orien Syndicate"?

EBone

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

atrus123 — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:03:52 PDT

Cheerleaders, of course.

atrus123

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

mar3nez — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:01:42 PDT

Little Miss...Sunshine

A bunch of quirky characters go on a mission to save our dying sun. They fail, but in a way that is both touching and hilarious.

mar3nez

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Rus — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:01:18 PDT

Rom-com. Staring Meg Ryan as the angsty, yet perky alien cyborg with the ticking biomechanical clock and Will Ferrel as her (cough cough) star-crossed holographic companion who slowly, and after much witty banter, learns the ways of human emotion.

Nora Ephron directs.

Rus

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

catdogpigduck — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:00:39 PDT

Rob Schrab did a comic book called La Cosa Nostroid in the 1990s, which was about cyborg gangsters that fought in giant Ultratronesque robots. It was excellent

catdogpigduck

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

DocGratis — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:00:13 PDT

@Guizzy: Well we know that in the future there will only be two kinds of dancing.. the Robot, and the Robo-boogie..

oh and all humans are dead...

DocGratis

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Goodnightbabytron — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:59:39 PDT

I like the gangsters' idea. Or, in the same way teeny movies updated Shakespeare (10 things I hate about you) and Austen (Clueless), how about an SF remake of a teeny remake of the Bard?

Even just an SF Macbeth would be lovely, though. The three aliens that urge the intrepid middle-manager officer leading the away crew to topple the starship's leadership and claim the captain's chair for his own...the psychotic AI lover/confidant/servant who eggs him on...

Goodnightbabytron

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

modernboy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:57:28 PDT

i think Lucas is trying to do the gangsters thing with the live action "Star Wars" tv show that is in the works. Last I heard it would be about the Hutts.

modernboy

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:57:22 PDT

We're the Robot Mafia, the entire Robot Mafia.

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Belabras — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:55:53 PDT

Space Gangsters, all the way.

Don't you be messing with the Centauri Combine my friend.

Belabras

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Guizzy — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:54:10 PDT

The Dance contest one reminds me of the Robot Chicken's "You got robo-served!"

Guizzy

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Priam — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:53:55 PDT

Man, I am seriously tired of robots and the mafia. Yes, even the robot mafia is quite bleh. Alien Cheerleaders forced to go to SpaceCamp sounds good though.

Priam

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

darcymcgee — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:51:27 PDT

In general, I think the "unwanted pregnancy" meme is ripe for Science Fiction. Think Juno, Waitress, Knocked Up, 4 Months 3 Days, etc.

But then again, I guess Alien has already filled that void (not to mention Alien Ressurection.) Maybe I should script a Juno parody in the Alien world.

darcymcgee

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

Priam — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:47:57 PDT

Problem Child 8:Hell on Saturn!

[uk]

Priam

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

PVIII — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:47:33 PDT

Oh don't even get me started on Juno and my rage for the over-hyped Ellen Page. I guess the angsty sci-fi story sounds pretty good though, but I'm imagining Caprica will take that route...

PVIII

What Genre Should Science Fiction Steal From Next?

DocGratis — Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:46:46 PDT

Space Juno...

They already talk like they are from an other planet...

DocGratis