Small Good Things #23
The Social Network sequel, Sufjan Stevens, and adapting Klara and the Sun
Hello! It’s May! Can you believe it?
Time sure is flying these days, and so are announcements for new creative projects! There are a few I’m very excited about, including a potential sequel to The Social Network revolving around the manipulation of algorithms, and several film adaptations of some very good novels.
So let’s get straight to the link round up, shall we? And if there are any upcoming creative things you’re excited about, let everyone know in the comments. We may not have another Barbenheimer-style summer this year, but other exciting things appear to be on the horizon!
1.) Aaron Sorkin has announced his plans to write a ‘sort of sequel’ to The Social Network based around social media algorithms and his belief that algorithms majorly contributed to the violence and organization of January sixth. Read more about it here.
2.) If you were like me and happened to be in university during the early to mid 2000s, then you’re probably well acquainted with the music of Sufjan Stevens. But did you know he’s created a musical that’s currently on Broadway? Check out the glowing review for his show, Illinoise!
3.) There are some major film adaptations of books coming to screens in the near future. This includes A Gentleman in Moscow, Nightbitch, and Taika Waititi’s directorial take on Ishiguro’s Klara and the Sun. Check out this list of book to film adaptations for the rest of 2024 — and consider reading the book first!
4.) With so much talk of remaking television shows based on existing material, what’s your opinion on US remakes of existing British shows? I’ll admit I am a big fan of the US version of The Office, but that’s a rare exception when it comes to these types of shows. Have we run out of originality? And when do we accept that trying to imitate and piggyback on the success of something original rarely works. Check out this article that discusses just that.
5.) The Writer’s Guild of Canada has now voted overwhelmingly in favour of striking if a new deal over Al and fair pay cannot be reached. The fight against this use of AI isn’t going away any time soon! Read more about it here.
And that’s all for this round of Small Good Things. Have a wonderful week. Cheers!
Spin offs are strange at one end you have something like Frasier and at the other end you have Joey.
I don't know if you saw this https://variety.com/2024/tv/news/new-the-office-series-cast-sabrina-impacciatore-domhnall-gleeson-1235976706/ . I am not sure how original a root boot of a remake is.