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Based on the book of the same name by Ernest Cline, "Ready Player One" takes viewers to 2045, where Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) dives into a video game world of the Oasis to track down the Easter egg hidden by late creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance). Finding the egg will make the player rich and give them ownership of the virtual world that millions occupy for hours each day. 

Wade has spent years searching for a path to the item, and he keeps coming up short until he meets a player named Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), who works with him to find the clues and the three challenges that lead to highly coveted keys. Their success is threatened by Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn), an evil businessman and former employee of Halliday, who uses his team of Sixers to track down the Easter egg for his betterment.

Wil Wheaton has been a fixture in the geek world for decades, from Stand By Me to playing Wesley Crusher in Star Trek: The Next Generation to a fictionalized version of himself in The Big Bang Theory. He’s narrated books like Ready Player One by Ernest Cline, The Martian by Andy Weir, and Starter Villain by John Scalzi, and he’s the author of The New York Times bestseller Still Just a Geek: An Annotated Memoir.

Today, Wheaton announced a brand new weekly audiobook podcast called It’s Storytime with Wil Wheaton, in which he narrates speculative fiction stories he loves from places like Lightspeed Magazine, Uncanny Magazine, Clark’s World Magazine, and On Spec. The podcast launches on March 26, 2025, anywhere you get your podcasts.

We got a chance to chat with Wheaton about the inspiration behind it, what we’re going to experience, and getting the blessing of...

With a phenomenal Hollywood career spanning five decades and countless blockbuster hits to his legendary name, cinema icon Steven Spielberg is hands down one of the entertainment industry's most revered directors and is rightfully regarded as one of the greatest filmmakers of all time. Known for endless fan-favorite classics like Jaws, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, and the Indiana Jones franchise, Spielberg is without a doubt one of the silver screen's most innovative and commercially successful visionaries who continues to dazzle and delight audiences all around the world.

In 2018, the three-time Oscar winner created yet another unforgettable picture when he helmed the sci-fi steampunk action sensation Ready Player One, which takes place in the not-so-distant future where society is on the brink of collapse and people turn to a stunning virtual reality simulation to escape the overwhelming hurdles of real life. Jam-packed full of one nostalgic pop culture reference after another,...

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The Electric State is a sci-fi adventure comedy-drama film co-directed by Anthony and Joe Russo from a screenplay co-written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely. Based on the 2018 illustrated novel of the same name by Simon Stålenhag, the Netflix film is set in the aftermath of a war between robots and humans, and it follows an orphaned girl who teams up with a mysterious robot and a smuggler to find her lost brother in the dangerous America West. The Electric State stars Millie Bobby Brown, Chris Pratt, Ke Huy Quan, Jason Alexander, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Brian Cox, Jenny Slate, Giancarlo Esposito, and Stanley Tucci. So, if you loved the inventive story, intricate world-building, and entertaining characters in The Electric State, here are some similar movies you should check out next.

Alita: Battle Angel (Rent on Prime Video...

Steven Spielberg's upcoming event film, which is rumored to be about UFOs, has received a new release date.

According to Deadline, Spielberg's UFO film, reportedly titled The Dish, is now set to hit theaters on June 12, 2026, moving back from its original release date of May 15. The film will now share the same release date as the Scary Movie reboot, which was announced back in 2024. While plot details for Spielberg's event film are being kept under wraps, filming is reportedly set to begin this month. David Koepp, a longtime collaborator with Spielberg, wrote the script for The Dish. Koepp has previously worked with Spielberg on films such as Jurassic Park and War of the Worlds, with the most recent collaboration being Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

RelatedThis 29% Rotten Steven Spielberg Classic Was Supposed to Be the Next Wizard of Oz

Unfortunately, one of Steven Spielberg's...

Squid Game draws people in for all kinds of different reasons. Maybe you like the Battle Royale aspect of it, with people fighting for survival in deadly games. Maybe you love the drama that unfolds as people attempt to survive, or the imaginative set design, or the social commentary.

We're between seasons of Squid Game now, with the third and final batch of episodes arriving on Netflix on June 27. When it comes to filling the void, you’ll want to find something that can offer similar vibes. The good news is there are a lot of options out there. You can turn to other K-dramas or international films and shows, but there are also some excellent options from the United States.

Not sure where to start? We’ve got you covered with these seven movies and shows like Squid Game.

Battle Royale

We have to start with the movie. This...

Few characters in all of cinematic history have achieved the enduring cultural status of Godzilla. Since the reptile’s initial debut in 1954, the King of the Monsters has become a global icon, symbolizing both the destructive power of nature and humanity's struggle to coexist with it. Over the decades, Godzilla's legacy has expanded far beyond solo films, leading to unforgettable encounters with other legendary characters and creatures from different mediums and franchises. These crossovers have given fans thrillingly unexpected spectacles, blending the larger-than-life presence of Godzilla with equally iconic figures from film, television, and comics.

Each of these crossovers represents an artistic fusion of genres, characters, and mediums, as Godzilla's towering menace or reluctant heroism collides with other distinct worlds and mythologies. Whether battling superheroes, clashing with alien invaders, or confronting the different monsters from his own many eras, these encounters highlight the character's adaptability and cultural reach.

Related 10 Best...

Image Source: Warner Bros Steven Spielberg, a filmmaker whose name is synonymous with cinematic brilliance, has given the world some of the most iconic movies of all time. From the thrilling escapades of Indiana Jones to the heartfelt magic of E.T., Spielberg’s work has left an indelible mark on audiences of every generation. While classics like Jaws and Jurassic Park remain timeless masterpieces, there are other remarkable films in his repertoire that often fly under the radar. One such treasure is the sci-fi adventure Ready Player One. Adapted from Ernest Cline’s popular novel, Ready Player One whisks viewers into a dystopian future where people escape their bleak reality by immersing themselves in the virtual utopia of the Oasis. The story kicks into high gear after the Oasis’s quirky creator dies, leaving behind a challenge for its users: uncover the hidden Easter egg within the virtual universe...

Ready Player One is Steven Spielberg's critically acclaimed adaption of the Ernest Cline novel, following teenager Parzival completing James Halliday's Easter Egg challenges in the virtual reality of Oasis. The legendary director brought this story to life with the incorporation of highly successful, iconic media franchises, and Ready Player One's distinctive soundtrack. Spielberg's adaption of Ready Player One prefaced the story to a wider-reaching audience, but despite its huge box office success, the movie has yet to get a sequel. However, a new Amazon Prime series may be the ideal replacement.

Secret Level is Prime's new adult anthology TV show, created by Tim Miller. This new series shares some notable characteristics with Spielberg's movie, as Ready Player One and Secret Level are both recognized for their distinctive features of constructing immersive worlds based on existing, popular intellectual properties. Miller's work on Deadpool and Terminator: Dark Fate...

Exclusive: HarperCollins imprint William Morrow has snapped up North American publishing rights to a new memoir from Jay Stratton, former Director of the U.S Government’s secretive UFO program, the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force, who led investigations into Uap and non-human intelligence for 16 years.

Also greatly enthused about this timely title is producer Dan Farah of Farah Films (Ready Player One), which has the rights to produce any television or film adaptation.

During his time working as a senior intelligence official, Stratton led countless investigations of Uap and non-human intelligence, including the now famous “Tic Tac” Uap encountered by Navy fighter pilots and the USS Nimitz Carrier Strike Group in 2004. While much of his work is classified, the memoir promises to reveal all that can be lawfully disclosed, providing a first-hand account of the shocking discoveries, challenges, and breakthroughs that have marked the U.S Government’s investigation and...

Hulu is about to get two amazing science fiction movies from Steven Spielberg's filmography. Super 8, which Spielberg produced, and Ready Player One, which he directed, will both arrive on the streamer in September.

Super 8 will begin streaming on Hulu on September 1, while Ready Player One doesn't land on the platform until September 3. The former, written and directed by J. J. Abrams, was originally released in theaters in 2011, where it earned positive reviews from critics and was a box office success. Set in 1979, the movie revolves around a group of teenagers filming their own Super 8 movie when a train derails, unleashing a dangerous presence onto their town. The latter, an adaptation of Ernest Cline's novel of the same name, was released in 2018 to mostly positive reviews. The movie, which follows a teenage orphan as he looks for clues to gain ownership of the virtual reality simulation the Oasis,...

Olivia Cooke has become quite a critically acclaimed actress ever since she starred in House of the Dragon. It was as though playing the role of Alicent Hightower made the world realize just how talented she was. However, years before getting this role, she proved her worth and talent in less saturated projects. Occasionally, she would also star in something that would get her a lot of attention.

Olivia Cooke in House of the Dragon as Alicent Hightower I Max

In 2018, that happened to be Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One. The film adapted a classic piece of literature by Ernest Cline and became quite iconic in many ways. With a critic rating of 72% on Rotten Tomatoes, it brought about an interesting twist to the sci-fi genre.

During an interview, Cooke revealed what it was like for her to work with a high-profile director like Spielberg when she was still green in the film industry.

With Steven Spielberg confirming Ready Player Two is already in development, it's a great moment to check out similar movies. Upon its release in 2018, the sci-fi action adventure Ready Player One was like little else fans had experienced. Based on the Ernest Cline novel of the same name and directed by the father of the summer blockbuster, Ready Player One is set in a dystopian future where people are increasingly spending more time in a virtual world to escape the realities of their own.

What makes Ready Player One stand out is its sheer number of references to other areas of pop culture. Within the virtual world, players can customize themselves however they like, and the film truly captures the full breadth of that creativity. Although never done in quite the same way, Ready Player One isn't the first to exploit video games or the idea of another reality on the big screen.

Olivia Cooke saw herself become a household name after her success with Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One, and the adaptation of Ernest Cline’s groundbreaking love-letter to 80’s pop culture. Cooke currently stars in Season 2 of House of the Dragon, reprising her role as Alicent Hightower the wife of the late Viserys I Targaryen.

Olivia Cooke as Alicent Hightower on House of the Dragon | HBO

However, when Cooke was on the set of Ready Player One, the actress was still a relative newcomer in the industry, with the Spielberg-helmed project being her first big gig, the actress had the opportunity to meet a slew of celebrities who were close to Spielberg, given how well connected the director was thanks to his standing in the industry.

Olivia Cooke met Tom Cruise, and she reported that there was no chemistry between them

Tom Cruise as Captain Pete “Maverick” Mitchell in...

Taking cinema screens by storm, the sci-fi action genre has become a staple cash cow for Hollywood. However, on the other end of the coin, filmmakers with a vision have managed to turn it from a cash cow into some of the most astounding pieces of art ever. The likes of Denis Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049, Christopher Nolan’s Tenet, and Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One stand out as some of the most popular and acclaimed outings in recent times.

Tye Sheridan in a still from Ready Player One | Warner Bros. Pictures

The last of the 2018 flick by the Jurassic Park visionary brought to life a novel that captured the minds of many for its theme of virtual reality concurring with current times. Yet, disappointingly even six years after its release, chances of a sequel have only diminished. Interestingly, one of the cast members from the flick has...

Lately, it seems as if there are new headlines every day about the dangers posed by artificial intelligence — everything from the technology ruthlessly taking our jobs to it perilously increasing our carbon footprint to fuel the necessary computing power. The headlines are concerning, and some even predict doomsday-like scenarios in the near future. Just like many of humankind’s inventions, AI will surely prove to be both beneficial and harmful depending on its application, but it won’t be the substantial power it will consume or the jobs it will take that pose the biggest risks. It’s the threat to our creativity and thereby our humanity itself.

Our innate creativity is what sets us apart from all other living beings. It helps us relate to our world and to each other. From the earliest forms of communication, which can be traced back 64,000 years ago through cave paintings made by Neanderthals found in Spain,...

Replacement dystopian movies failed to replicate The Hunger Games' success due to a decrease in genre interest. Ready Player One's adaptation found success despite straying from the novel's themes, but the sequel has been delayed. Major film franchises like Divergent and Mortal Engines failed to live up to the hype of being the next Hunger Games.

In the years leading up to and following the conclusion of the massively successful The Hunger Games movie franchise, Hollywood scrambled to find a replacement that would maximize on the popularity of the dystopian genre. In the literary world, a slew of young adult dystopian novels filled up bookstores, all utilizing some of the same fundamental world-building tropes as The Hunger Games. A few of these series were adapted for the big screen in the hopes of replicating The Hunger Games' box office success. However, at this point, the phenomenon was largely a thing of the past.

Ready Player One captures the immersive world and video game adventure similar to Spielberg's movies. Various movies influenced Spielberg's Ready Player One or explored similar technological ideas. The film references classic movies and video games, exploring themes of escapism and virtual reality.

While it is hard to ever match Steven Spielberg, movies like Ready Player One capture the similar immersive sci-fi world and engrossing video game adventure of his movie. Adapted from Ernest Cline's best-selling novel of the same name, the movie is jam-packed with action, humor, and romance all set around a video game scavenger hunt. There are many aspects to the movie to enjoy, like the nostalgic references and idea of living among them, the young rebel heroes fighting against the corrupt powers, and the concept of escaping the real world through a new reality.

Ready Player One is, by virtue of its core themes and source material,...

Director Christopher Nolan has made films on some of the most unique concepts, resulting in an interesting filmography for the acclaimed director. However, Nolan’s filmography could have included one sci-fi blockbuster that was eventually directed by Steven Spielberg. Nonetheless, Nolan did not seem interested in directing the project for one reason.

Christopher Nolan was reportedly approached to direct Ready Player One. (Image via Esquire UK)

According to reports, Nolan was once in contention to direct the 2018 science fiction action film Ready Player One. However, Nolan declined the offer because of his desire to pursue original concepts, paving the way for Spielberg to take the director’s chair. Here is everything you need to know about why Nolan turned down a chance to direct Ready Player One.

Christopher Nolan Was Offered Steven Spielberg’s Sci-Fi Blockbuster Ready Player One

Ready Player One is a science-fiction action film based on author...

Spielberg is returning to sci-fi after six years with a UFO movie. His previous sci-fi film, Ready Player One, was divisive, making it easy for the new project to surpass it. While the UFO movie may not beat Ready Player One financially, it's sure to generate interest.

Director Steven Spielberg recently announced that his next film would be "A UFO movie," and hopefully, this new sci-fi project can make up for his most recent sci-fi film, Ready Player One, which received less-than-stellar reactions. The director's upcoming UFO movie will be the 35th Steven Spielberg movie, and it certainly won't be his first time making a science fiction movie, or a movie about aliens. Along with his touching dramas like The Fabelmans or his fantasy adventures like Hook, Spielberg is best known for sci-fi classics like E.T. and Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

The announcement that Steven Spielberg is...

Shaun and his best mate Ed are in trouble. They’ve discovered two zombies in their garden, and the lumbering flesh-eaters show no signs of stopping. However, Shaun and Ed have found one way of slowing the approach: throwing records.

And so, as the two zombies grow closer, Ed and Shaun rustle through the latter’s collection. “Sign o’ the Times … Purple Rain,” Ed suggests as projectiles, only to have Shaun tell him no. That is until Ed reaches a low point in Prince’s discography, the Batman soundtrack. “Throw it,” Shaun commands, striking a blow against the living dead.

The above scene is just one instance of the humor and horror that director Edgar Wright and his co-writer Simon Pegg bring to the RomZomCom Shaun of the Dead, released twenty years ago. Shaun (Pegg) and Ed (Nick Frost) spend a lot of time discussing their pop-cultural interests, even in the most dire situations.

Ready Player One was a great hit with the movie adaptation, but the book was a worldwide bestseller that still holds up. Ernest Cline wrote it, and a sequel to the book has already been launched, which will also be adapted for film.

The author of Ready Player One will materialize the idea of the book in a metaverse experience called Open. This new project has the support of many brands and has already been developed with Unreal Engine 5 for PC and the current generation of platforms.

Open Will Finally be the Definitive Ready Player One Experience that the Book Describes Open, the new project from the creator of Ready Player One

Ready Player One was a great deal when it was released back in 2018, with more than $600 million in the box office. There is even a new book that continues the journey of the protagonist after winning the rights to the company.

Ready Player One‘s sequel, Ready Player Two, was officially confirmed yesterday by Steven Spielberg to be in development. The iconic filmmaker won’t be directing the movie as he takes on a producer role, and said that the team is currently in the “discovery phase,” which suggests the release is a ways off.

However, that’s not the only Ready Player One-related announcement we got in the past week. Publisher Readyverse Studios has announced a Aaa metaverse battle royale game that features the dystopian futuristic franchise.

Open Brings Ready Player One To Gaming

Readyverse Studios was co-founded by Ready Player One author Ernest Cline. Image credit: Readyverse Studios

In a recent press release, Readyverse Studios announced Open, a revolutionary Aaa metaverse game spearheaded by Walker Labs, a game development studio comprising talent previously at studios like Epic Games, Dice, and Microsoft.

SUGGESTEDReady Player Two: Everything To Know About...

Steven Spielberg will put his quarters up for the Ready Player One sequel, but not in the way some fans would hope. The legendary filmmaker recently confirmed he’ll serve as a producer on Ready Player Two but has no plans to direct the anticipated sequel. Speaking with Showbiz 411, Spielberg said the project is in its “discovery phase,” and the team is “trying to figure out what’s next” for the high-concept sci-fi sequel.

It’s easy to see why Warner Bros. Discovery would want a follow-up to Spielberg’s 2018 fantasy-action film. In addition to pressing Start on $579,055,653 at the box office, the effects-driven cinematic roller coaster featured countless characters from WB’s IP library. Among the film’s many cameos, Batman, Freddy Krueger, King Kong, The Iron Giant, the twins from The Shining, Beetlejuice, and more join the extensive cast.

Related Movie Poll: What Is Your Favorite Steven Spielberg Film?...

Steven Spielberg reveals the Ready Player One sequel is in early development.

Spielberg directed the 2018 adaptation of Nathan Cline's novel, Ready Player One and he is currently attached to the upcoming sequel Ready Player Two as a producer. In an interview with Showbiz 411, the legendary filmmaker revealed that the film is still in early development as it's in the "discovery phase." Spielberg stated, "We're in the discovery phase, trying to figure out what's next."

Related Free Guy vs. Ready Player One: Which Gaming-Inspired Movie Is Better? Free Guy and Ready Player One were both inspired by gaming and pop culture, but which video game film reigns supreme? Close

Warner Bros. demonstrated their enthusiasm for the Ready Player One universe by securing the rights to Ernest Cline's novel before its publication, with Spielberg joining the project in 2015. Known for delivering captivating spectacles with iconic films like Jaws, Raiders of the Lost Ark,...

Spielberg's confirmed involvement in Ready Player Two as its producer is good news for fans of the original film adaptation. The Ready Player One sequel faces the challenge of negative source material reception. Spielberg's ability to blend pop-culture references in Ready Player One makes his involvement crucial for the sequel's success.

While some new updates surrounding Steven Spielberg's involvement with the Ready Player One sequel make the film more exciting, they do not solve its biggest problem. Set in a dystopian future, Ready Player One ambitiously explores virtual reality through the eyes of a teenager named Wade Watts. Although, like most book adaptations, Ready Player One takes some creative liberties, it accurately adapts the core themes, story elements, and character beats of the original novel.

Owing to this, it is not surprising that the film mostly received positive reviews from viewers and critics and even earned $607.9 million at the global box office.

The Academy Awards have been given out, but aside from a list of winners, the ceremony also provided us with a series of new information about some upcoming projects. In a short discussion with Steven Spielberg, Roger Friedman received an official confirmation that Ready Player Two, the sequel to Spielberg’s Oscar-nominated 2018 hit film Ready Player One, is in the works, but that he won’t be directing it.

This is an exciting update that confirms what the author of both books, Austin-based writer Ernest Cline, said earlier this year. When asked about the sequel movie, which would be based on Cline’s 2020 sequel novel, he said the following:

“It’s in the early stages right now, especially since Hollywood is in limbo right now. But I can tell from the experience of making the first movie that everybody had a lot of fun.”

Source: Inverse

The first movie was...

Steven Spielberg’s Ready Player One paid homage to some of the world’s most iconic pop culture IPs. The action-adventure film was set in a future where the population lives vicariously in a virtual reality called the Oasis and is on an ‘Easter Egg’ hunt to find the clues left by the billionaire founder of the program.

Based on the book by Ernest Cline, the film had some key changes, inculcating several IPs that were not present in the novel. The film earned $607 million at the box office and was a commercial success. While the novel received a critically panned sequel, Spielberg recently mentioned that a Ready Player Two film was in development, although, he would not be directing it.

Steven Spielberg Will Be Producing Ready Player Two A still from Ready Player One

The novel Ready Player One by Ernest Cline explored the pop culture that defined a...

Ready Player Two is still going ahead as a movie, but Steven Spielberg will be changing roles on the new movie.

After steering Ready Player One to a global box office take of over half a billion dollars, it was inevitable that when the potential of a movie based on Ready Player Two came along, Steven Spielberg would get first dibs on it.

Ready Player Two is – yeah, you probably guessed this – the sequel book to Ernest Cline’s original hit. It came out in 2020 and didn’t, er, get the most positive of reviews. Still, it was little secret that Warner Bros wants to do a sequel to the original movie and it soon snapped up the rights to do so.

News that a film adaptation was on the way first arose in 2020, with conversations originally taking place during the lengthy production of Ready Player One. Steven Spielberg remains...

Spielberg is confirmed to produce and possibly direct the Ready Player One sequel, with production likely starting in 2025 based on his schedule. The Ready Player Two novel by Cline serves as the basis for the cinematic sequel, promising new wonders in the Oasis. Tye Sheridan, the lead in Ready Player One, expresses excitement and hope for returning for the sequel.

It's been a busy five years or so for author Ernest Cline. In 2018, a film adaptation of his clever dystopian novel, 2011's Ready Player One, was released and became a hit with audiences and critics alike; Cline co-wrote the script with Zak Penn. Ready Player Two, Cline's sequel to his original novel, was released two years later. Since then, he's been developing a cinematic sequel as well, though there hasn't been much news about it for over three years, until now.

In March 2018, Cline told Collider, "I think there's a good chance that,...

Spielberg's sci-fi film hits Netflix's top 10 chart, 6 years on. Close Encounters, E.T., Jurassic Park - Spielberg's sci-fi legacy continues to shape pop culture. While fans wait eagerly for a sequel, Spielberg's dystopian thriller remains a streaming favorite.

Steven Spielberg's sci-fi movie lands on Netflix's top 10 chart as the wait for a sequel continues after 6 years. His 1977 classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind was a culture-changing event, as was his 1982 hit E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. Spielberg returned to sci-fi for 1993's Jurassic Park, launching the era of CGI blockbusters, then went dark for the trio of A.I. Artificial Intelligence, Minority Report and War of the Worlds. In 2018, Spielberg unleashed a dystopian sci-fi thriller full of pop culture Easter eggs, and six years later there is still no official word on a sequel.

As the wait continues for that Ready Player One sequel to happen, the...

A sequel to Ready Player One can easily be accomplished by adapting the story of the second book, Ready Player Two. However, it may not be a good idea to adapt Ready Player Two as it was met with poor critical reception and lacks the heart of the original. Instead, a sequel can explore new possibilities in the Oasis and focus on the struggles of operating the massive digital universe, while adding depth to characters and relationships.

There has been a lot of speculation surrounding the future of the Ready Player One franchise, and while the sequel has an obvious path forward, it really shouldn't take it. Ready Player One was one of the biggest movies of 2018, with the exciting Steven Spielberg film combining a variety of franchises into one universe in order to create a massive box office hit. Despite the success of Ready Player One, there still hasn't been a movie sequel yet.

Wade and Samantha's relationship in the movie differed significantly from the book, making it impossible to continue their story in the sequel. The changes made in the movie to showcase Wade's growth and realization about the importance of the real world conflict with the plot of the sequel. The movie already improved on the VR technology described in the book, leaving no room for the significant reveal in the sequel about Halliday's advanced virtual reality technology.

It's been over five years, and Ready Player One seems no closer to getting a sequel, and this could be because the many changes made to the book have made this far more complicated to pull off. Author Ernest Cline wrote a book sequel called Ready Player Two, which was released a couple of years after the 2018 movie hit theaters. It's certainly possible that a version of this novel will be turned into...

Olivia Cooke's character, Art3mis, left a lasting impression in Ready Player One and may be the key to a sequel. Cooke's growing star power and successful projects make her a readily marketable lead for a Ready Player Two movie. Spielberg's changes to the original story make it difficult to adapt the Ready Player Two book, but starting fresh with Art3mis as the main character could be a solution.

Six years after the release of Ready Player One and we seem no closer to getting a sequel, but Olivia Cooke's character may be the answer to making it happen. The actor played Samantha Cook, Aka Art3mis, in the Steven Spielberg movie, the genius Halliday enthusiast who played a significant part in Parzival winning the Easter Egg hunt. Though she wasn't the main character of Ready Player One, Cooke's Art3mis left a lasting impression, which means...

Spielberg's film adaptation of "Ready Player One" hinted at the plot twist of the sequel, "Ready Player Two," with a line spoken by Wade. The Ready Player Two book revealed that there was more to Halliday's Oasis avatar than what the Ready Player One book said, though Spielberg's movie hinted at it instead. Spielberg's changes to Halliday's character in the first movie make it difficult to adapt "Ready Player Two" into a sequel movie that stays true to the book.

Steven Spielberg's Ready Player One screen adaptation of Ernest Cline's novel came out two years before the author's sequel hit shelves, but a line from the film perfectly set up the biggest reveal of Ready Player Two. Spielberg's 2018 movie, which made it onto Netflix's Top 10 in 2024, made significant changes to Cline's work, with an impactful final scene and conversation between Wade and Halliday's Oasis...

Olivia Cooke has had a streak of standout performances in her acting career, from her role as Emma Decody in Bates Motel to her captivating performance in Thoroughbreds. Cooke's talent shines through in her diverse range of roles, from a charming and confident Art3mis in Ready Player One to a grieving widow in The Limehouse Golem. Cooke's ability to deliver complex and layered performances, along with her intelligence, grace, and wit, make her a rising star in Hollywood.

Olivia Cooke may be young, but she has had a streak of standout performances in the projects she has appeared in since beginning her acting career in 2012. Born and raised in the North West of England, Cooke was interested in acting and theater from a young age and successfully landed her first role in a television series before age 20. Since then, Cooke has grown from strength to strength, tackling increasingly challenging...

Ready Player One is a film that heavily relies on 1980s nostalgia, with a soundtrack filled with popular songs from that era. The soundtrack includes hits from iconic artists like Van Halen, Tears for Fears, Joan Jett & The Blackhearts, and George Michael. Each song in the Ready Player One soundtrack is strategically placed within the movie to enhance specific scenes and moments.

Ready Player One is full of 1980s nostalgia, and the film's soundtrack plays a significant role in this. The 2018 Steven Spielberg movie is set in a futuristic time when humanity prefers a virtual world to a real one. It focuses on the media of the past, from movies, TV shows, video games, and, of course, music. Therefore, as Wade Watts, Aka Parzival, searches the Oasis for Halliday's Easter egg, he is accompanied by an excellent soundtrack featuring some of the biggest hits of the late 20th century.

Speilberg's Ready Player One,...

Readyverse Studios and Warner Bros. Discovery are partnering to bring the Oasis from Ready Player One to the metaverse. This will be a "multi-world, multi-ip, interoperable open metaverse experience." Fans have mixed reactions about whether making the Oasis a reality is a good idea.

Ready Player One is coming to real life, and not everyone is on board. The 2011 sci-fi novel, which was adapted into a movie by Steven Spielberg in 2018, follows a young man named Wade Watts who lives in a dystopian America in 2045, where humanity seeks escape from a resource-depleted planet via a virtual reality platform called the Oasis. Oasis is a place where users can create their own worlds, many of which are inspired by popular movies and video games from the 1980s.

Per Variety, the company Futureverse announced that the newly formed Readyverse Studios (co-founded by Ready Player One author Ernest Cline and producer Dan Farah) is partnering with Warner Bros.

A huge virtual world based on “Ready Player One,” a story set in a future where people enter into a virtual-reality simulation to escape the real world, is coming soon to a real platform near you.

Futureverse, an AI and metaverse technology and content company, announced the formation of Readyverse Studios, a studio co-founded with Ernest Cline, the novelist and creator of “Ready Player One,” and Dan Farah, producer of the 2018 Warner Bros. film adaptation of the novel.

In its first major rights deal, Readyverse Studios partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery to exclusively bring the Ready Player One franchise to the metaverse across web3. In addition, Readyverse Studios maintains exclusive web3 rights to all future intellectual property created by Cline.

Details on what the Ready Player One metaverse will be are sparse for now, but the company says it expects to launch sometime in 2024. “Readyverse Studios is laying the groundwork...

In Steven Spielberg's 2018 film "Ready Player One," characters log in to the Oasis, a sprawling virtual reality world in which they can exist as avatars decked out in digital clothing, hairstyles, and accessories that reflect their favorite pieces of popular culture. One could model themselves to look like The Iron Giant, drive the DeLorean from "Back to the Future," or literally step into scenes from their favorite movies. 

Now Ernest Cline, who wrote the novel on which the film was based, seems to be trying to create a real-world analogue for the Oasis.

Deadline reports that Cline and "Ready Player One" producer Dan Farah are teaming up with a company called Futureverse to launch Readyverse Studios, which aims to "build a destination for fans to explore their favorite stories and IP in the metaverse, leveraging web3, metaverse games and experiences, augmented reality, and virtual reality technologies." The new platform...

Ernest Cline has signed a deal that will bring Ready Player One to the metaverse, meaning we’re in for a virtual reality web3 gaming experience of some sort. It won’t be dystopian, though.

If you’ve dreamed of entering the virtual world woven by Ernest Cline in his 2011 novel Ready Player One – or Steven Spielberg’s busy 2018 film adaptation – there’s good news. Cline has, along with producer Dan Farah and the tech company Futureverse, launched a new studio that aims to make Ready Player One’s digital realm a (virtual) reality.

Called Readyverse Studios, the new venture is in the process of “building the definitive destination for fans to explore their favourite stories and IP in the metaverse.”

This virtual destination, based on the pop culture-encrusted one outlined in Cline’s book and film, will be entered via “augmented reality and virtual reality technologies” – so presumably it...

In the 2011 novel Ready Player One and its 2018 feature film adaptation, citizens of a dystopian world escape to a virtual universe populated by avatars and filled with games, puzzles and settings featuring cultural references (including Pac-Man, Blade Runner and The Shining).

Now the author of the book, Ernest Cline, and the producer of the film, Dan Farah, are partnering with the AI and metaverse company Futureverse to bring Ready Player One to its own digital universe.

Futureverse, Cline and Farah are launching a new company called Readyverse Studios, which will seek to bring IP to the metaverse … and they’ve secured the rights from Warner Bros. to make Ready Player One the first piece of that puzzle.

And while Cline’s novel and Steven Spielberg’s film adaptation were set in a dystopian world, the founders are banking on a more optimistic vision.

“Ernie in the wildest way, I mean,...

The AI metaverse technology and content company Futureverse has launched Readyverse Studios. Co-founded by Shara Senderoff and Aaron McDonald, as well as novelist Ernest Cline and Dan Farah, the venture will get underway with a partnership with WarnerBros Discovery to bring the Ready Player One franchise to the metaverse across web3.

Readyverse Studios’ goal is to build a destination for fans to explore their favorite stories and IP in the metaverse, leveraging web3, metaverse games and experiences, augmented reality, and virtual reality technologies. They’ll launch The Readyverse, a dynamic interactive platform of interconnected digital experiences, that starts with Ready Player One.

The Readyverse will champion the principles of the open metaverse, which are provable digital ownership, community-owned infrastructure, decentralization, security, and interoperability. The Readyverse will be built utilizing Futureverse’s extensive technology platform.

“The future has arrived even more quickly than I imagined,” said Cline. “With Readyverse Studios, we...

Paramount Television Studios has acquired the rights to Jakob Kerr’s upcoming debut novel “Dead Money,” Variety has learned exclusively.

The rights for the book were sold to the studio in a seven-figure deal following a bidding war. The book will be published by Ballantine, an imprint of Penguin Random House, in summer 2024.

Beth Schacter, previously the co-showrunner on “Billions” and the showrunner of “Super Pumped, will serve as showrunner and executive producer on “Dead Money.” Kerr will also executive produce along with Allie Goss of Brillstein.

According to the official description, the book “follows Mackenzie Clyde, an ‘investigator’ (some may call her a fixer) for San Francisco’s preeminent venture capital firm. When the controversial founder of tech’s hottest startup, Journy, is found murdered in his office, Mackenzie’s boss attaches her to the case. Her directive: hunt down the founder’s killer and—more importantly—free up...

The Ready Player Two movie is uncertain due to negative reviews of the sequel novel, which were criticized for being derivative and not adding anything new. The sequel novel was released in November 2020, and while author Ernest Cline claims a movie is in the works, Warner Bros. has not officially greenlit the project. If the Ready Player Two movie is greenlit, it may take several years for production and release, potentially putting it in 2025 or later, depending on ongoing strikes and filming schedules.

Will a Ready Player Two movie ever happen? In 2018, Warner Bros. released an adaptation of Ernest Cline's 2011 novel Ready Player One, directed by Steven Spielberg. It starred Tye Sheridan as Wade Watts, an Ohio native who immerses himself in a virtual reality realm known as Oasis (Ontologically Anthropocentric Sensory Immersive Simulation). The teenager plays under the name Parzival, and participates in an Easter egg challenge orchestrated by...

Clockwise from top left: The Banshees Of Inisherin (Fox Searchlight), Sanctuary (Neon), Mad Max: Fury Road (Warner Bros.), Ready Player One (Warner Bros.)Image: The A.V. Club

It’s back-to-school time, but for Hulu it’s business as usual as more classics make their way to the streaming service. That...

Film adaptations of popular novels are a Hollywood tradition — especially when the novel is part of a series, making its financial prospects even more lucrative. So, where's the movie adaptation of "Ready Player Two"?

Steven Spielberg directed "Ready Player One," the 2018 film version of the 2011 novel of the same name by Ernest Cline. The movie raked in a worldwide box office total of nearly $600 million and earned decent Rotten Tomatoes scores. Such numbers seemed more than enough to move forward with follow-up installments based on sequel novels covering earlier eras. "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets," its series' sophomore outing, debuted in theaters just one year after the first film. The same was true for the film sequels to "Twilight" and "The Hunger Games." More than five years after "Ready Player One" debuted in theaters, Wade Watts and his fellow High Five friends haven't returned to cineplexes, despite the existence of a sequel novel,...

Ernest Cline, the best-selling novelist who saw his popular first published book, Ready Player One, adapted by Steven Spielberg into a tentpole movie, has unveiled his debut kids novel, Bridge to Bat City.

The kids book is described as a “mostly true tall tale” about a recently orphaned young girl named Opal B Flats who forms an unexpected friendship with a music-loving colony of bats and helps them find a new home against all odds.

Bridge to Bat City will publish in April 2024, released by Little, Brown Books. “In Bridge to Bat City, inspired by stories he would tell his kids at bedtime, Ernie Cline has crafted an enchanting tale that weaves together fact and fiction set against the incredible backdrop of 1980s Austin, filled with a vibrant cast of characters, rich music history, activism and environmentalism, and bats!” Alvina Ling of Little, Brown Books said in a statement.

Cline...

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has snapped up North American publishing rights to Bridge to Bat City, the debut children’s novel from #1 Nyt bestselling author Ernest Cline (Ready Player One).

Set for publication in April 2024, the book is described as a “mostly true tall tale” about a recently orphaned young girl named Opal B Flats, who forms an unexpected friendship with a music-loving colony of bats and helps them find a new home against all odds. (View new cover art for the title above.)

After losing her mother, 13-year-old Opal moves in with her uncle Roscoe on the family farm, and it’s there that she befriends a group of orphaned bats. But just as the farm is starting to feel like home, the bats’ cave is destroyed by a big mining company that has its sights on the family’s land, as well. If Opal and the bats can fit in anywhere,...

Following the unveiling of the Apple Vision Pro, the company's new futuristic VR headset, Twitter users have been quick to draw similarities to 2018's Ready Player One. Based on the novel of the same name by Ernest Cline, Ready Player One is directed by Steven Spielberg and stars Tye Sheridan, Olivia Cookie, and Ben Mendelsohn. The science fiction adventure film takes place in the future largely in a virtual world known as the Oasis, which users access through headsets.

At the company's recent Wwdc 2023 keynote event, the company unveiled the Apple Vision Pro headset, which allows users to use apps, watch content, and otherwise interact with an augmented reality. Users on Twitter were quick to compare not just the headset but also the specific framing and shot choice used in the video presentation to elements of Ready Player One, and not everyone is feeling good about the new device. Check...