Ready Player One (film)
A virtual reality contest for control of the OASIS.
Ready Player One is a 2018 American science fiction action film directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Zak Penn and Ernest Cline, based on Cline's 2011 novel. Set in 2045, the film follows teenage orphan Wade Watts as he competes in a contest to win ownership of the OASIS, a virtual reality simulation used by much of humanity to escape the real world. The film was a commercial success and received positive reviews, earning a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 91st Academy Awards.
- release_year
- 2018
- director
- Steven Spielberg
- writers
- Zak Penn and Ernest Cline
- based_on
- Cline's 2011 novel
- budget
- $155–175 million
- box_office
- $608 million worldwide
- academy_award_nomination
- Best Visual Effects
Lore & Background
Development of the film began in mid-2010 when Warner Bros. Entertainment acquired the rights to the book. In July 2015, Spielberg signed on to direct and produce, with casting commencing in September 2015. Filming began in England in June 2016 and was completed in September that year. Visual effects were handled by Industrial Light & Magic, Digital Domain, and Territory Studio, with pre-visualization work by the Third Floor, Inc. The film features numerous popular culture references, including those to Back to the Future, The Iron Giant, The Shining, King Kong, and Godzilla.
The plot centers on Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan), an orphaned Gunter using the avatar Parzival, who discovers clues to a contest created by the late OASIS co-creator James Halliday (Mark Rylance). Wade and his friends—Art3mis (Olivia Cooke), Aech (Lena Waithe), Daito (Win Morisaki), and Sho (Philip Zhao)—form the High-5 and race against the evil corporation IOI, led by Nolan Sorrento (Ben Mendelsohn), to find the Easter egg. The challenges involve Halliday's regrets, including his unrequited love for Kira Underwood (Perdita Weeks). The film culminates in a battle on Planet Doom, where Wade wins by refusing to sign a contract and playing the 1980 game Adventure.
The cast also includes T.J. Miller as i-R0k, Simon Pegg as Ogden Morrow, and Hannah John-Kamen as F'Nale Zandor. The film premiered at South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas on March 11, 2018, and was theatrically released in the United States on March 29, by Warner Bros. Pictures.
Reader's Guide
Ready Player One is significant as a major science fiction film that explores themes of virtual reality, escapism, and corporate control. Directed by Steven Spielberg, it successfully translated the dense pop-culture references of the novel into a visual spectacle, earning praise for its visual effects and pacing. The film grossed $608 million worldwide against a $155–175 million budget, demonstrating commercial viability for VR-themed narratives. It earned a nomination for Best Visual Effects at the 91st Academy Awards, 24th Critics' Choice Awards, and 72nd British Academy Film Awards, and won Best Science Fiction Film at the 45th Saturn Awards, plus two Outstanding Achievement Awards from the Visual Effects Society. The film's legacy includes a sequel in development and its role in popularizing the concept of a shared virtual universe in cinema.
Did You Know?
- The film features references to Back to the Future, The Iron Giant, The Shining, King Kong, and the Godzilla franchise.
- Visual effects were handled by Industrial Light & Magic, Digital Domain, and Territory Studio.
- The film won Best Science Fiction Film at the 44th Saturn Awards.
- A sequel is in development.
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