Bradley Cooperhas been devoted to developing the epic, heart-wrenching, and thought-provoking science fiction novelHyperionand its three sequels since the 2010s. The books were written in the 1980s and ’90s by author Dan Simmons for over a decade, and Cooper sees the value of sharing these timeless stories. Following the success of the film adaptation of the also classic science fiction novelDune, Cooper has brought his passion project all the way from television series at Syfy to, just recently, a major motion picture with Warner Bros.
Updated June 30, 2025: This article has been updated to include more relevant information regarding the development ofHyperion.
There are so many reasons why thisHyperionfilm adaptation will be an incredible feat. It will be a spectacle for the ages and something science fiction and cinema lovers all over the globe, and indeed scientists and engineers, sociologists, and futurists can get very excited about. The Dan Simmons novels are some of the most pivotal science fiction works ever written. To see them developed byan accomplished producerand filmmaker like Cooper is a monumental development. Here is everything we know about its production so far, and all the themes we want to see leap from the page to the screen!
Why is Hyperion an Essential Read?
Without giving too much away, the 1989 novelHyperionis about six pilgrims on an epic journey to face a horrifying enemy, on a foreign planet, with total strangers and no frame of reference for what is about to happen. Hyperion, the planet to which they are traveling, is an enigma populated by little-known indigenous populations, transplanted poets, outcasts, and terrifying geological or engineered features. It orbits in the outreaches of the galaxy, which is now a multi-planetary system controlled by the interstellar Hegemony government, woven together and intimately connected by farcaster portals developed and run by a not at all understood, highly-evolved artificial intelligence unit called the Core.
On Hyperion exists a fierce, metallic, towering monster called the Shrike, and it guards Time Tombs or ancient vaults and palaces of stones and jewels that are somehow running backward in time along with the Shrike. Complicating it all is the huge swarm of Ousters – long separated, barbaric humans who ran to the furthest reaches of space to dabble in strange and inhuman practices now surrounding the pivotal Hyperion to take it for themselves.
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The six pilgrims have been assembled by the Hegemony government, according to the algorithmic recommendations of the explicitly trusted Core, to travel to the Time Tombs and meet a destiny that will impact the whole future of the entire human race. Because of the specific and precarious ways in which each of the Pilgrims' lives have already been intertwined with the Shrike and Hyperion, the journey is both emotionally fraught and fatally dangerous, and the results are the explosive confrontations of humanity, technology, and the ultimate intelligence of the Creator itself.
Hyperionexplores the nature of God, gods, religion,artificial intelligence, humanity as creators, humanity’s fate in the broader universe, the legitimacy of consciousness, and pretty much everything in between these topics. The book launched theHyperion Cantos, a franchise of four novels.Hyperionwas followed byThe Fall of Hyperionin 1990,Endymionin 1996, andThe Rise of Endymionin 1997. The books are an essential read for anyone plagued or even mildly curious about the fate of humanity in our increasingly complicated and threatened world and are an exceptional, absolutely outstanding narrative achievement.
Making the Hyperion Books a Big-Screen Reality
Bradley Cooper has allegedly been committed to adapting this talefor the ages since the early 2010s. Perhaps the success of 2021’sDunegave studios the motivation they needed to ensureHyperionbecomes a story fresh in the minds of all during this critical time in history. Graham King ofThe Rum DiaryandTomb Raider 2will be producing alongside Cooper.
The project was initially set to be a television series, which might have been a better format for the expansive and extensive storytelling in theHyperionnovels. Still, it’s difficult to imagine this epic on the small screen rather than the big one. Much work will have to be done to craft this whole futuristic world into a digestible movie, particularly since the first book has seven different timelines, but if there’s a man for the job, it’s Cooper.
Hyperionis filled with interesting, original, and engaging characters that need to be cast with enigmatic actors. There is an extensive list of potential artists who could portray these characters, and it’s worth speculating which one Cooper might take on as he generally also lends his astounding acting talent to his directorial work. Cooper’s directorial debut,A Star is Born, was both a box office hit and a major awards player landing eight Academy Award nominations and winning Best Original Song. Cooper’s next film,Maestro, will be released in 2023 by Netflix and will see Cooper both direct and play legendary composer Leonard Bernstein.
Hyperionmight have to wait. It was recently announced that Cooper woulddirect and star inIs This Thing On?The movie is set up at Searchlight Pictures and will see Cooper star alongside Will Arnett, who is also set to pen the screenplay. That film appears to have taken priority overHyperion,where no development has been made.
What Challenges Are There?
While big sci-fi adventure films have a large audience to support them, adapting written works that aren’t the most well-known or understood can make it financially difficult. Disney adapted a similar classic science fiction novel into the filmJohn Carter. While many fans found the film to be a wonderful adaptation, the movie is one of themost high-profile box office flops of all time. Perhaps it was because of poor marketing, or maybe it was because not enough people were interested in the original story.
However, the remake ofDunehas been widely praised, despite the less popular original film. It is hard to identify what exactly the difference is. There is a chance that the newerDuneattracted the attention of younger audiences with the casting of stars Timothée Chalamet and Zendaya. In that case,Hyperionwill need to pay extra attention to what stars will help spread the word about the film and bring in a new audience to experience the story.
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While many sci-fi adaptations have failed to live up to expectations, it may be the perfect time forHyperion.Dunehas sparked more interest in the genre recently. BothStar WarsandStar Trekhave been largely absent from the big screen, with thenextStar Warsnot releasing in theaters until at least 2026. This is the perfect time for Hyperion to fill the void left in the release schedule and capture the imagination of audiences everywhere.
It might be beneficial for everyone awaiting the release ofHyperionto spend time enjoying the original novels, as reading them will expand one’s imagination and build excitement for the movie. One will wonder why it took so long to get a big-screen film in the first place.
