HBO Films has tapped 99 Homes director Ramin Bahrani to make a new cinematic adaptation of Ray Bradbury’s classic sci-fi novel Fahrenheit 451. According to The Wrap, Bahrani will also serve as co-executive producer with Peter Jaysen and Vikings producer Alan Gasmer.
Bradbury’s novel lays out a dystopian future version of the U.S. where the government has banned all books. The story revolves around Guy Montag, a book-burning “fireman” whose relationships and experiences on the job cause him to question the mandate.
Bahrani, who has spent as much time making documentaries and short films as he had making features, seems to have garnered some more mainstream affection thanks to his critically acclaimed 2014 indie 99 Homes, which, like Fahrenheit, features strong sociopolitical themes. His take will be the first direct adaptation of Fahrenheit 451 since François Truffaut’s 1966 film, which starred Oskar Werner and Julie Christie.