Two of Hollywood’s powerhouse creative sibling duos are teaming up for an apocalyptic alt-history sci-fi. Russo Brothers Studios won out in a competitive bidding war for the rights toThe Electric State, an illustrated novel from artistSimon Stålenhag, which will team upCaptain America: Civil WarduoJoeandAnthony RussowithIT’sAndyandBarbara Muschietti. Andy Muschietti is directingThe Electric State, as well as producing alongside his sister and the Russos.Russell AckermanandJohn Schoenfelder(Hold the Dark) are also producing.
The script comes from screenwriting duoChristopher MarkusandStephen McFeely, who wrote all three of Marvel’sCaptain Americamovies and have collaborated with the Russos onThe Winter SoldierthroughAvengers 4. The illustrated novel follows a runaway teenager and her toy robot on a journey through an alternate-reality 1997 USA, where the high-tech consumerist society is in decline. Stålenhag’s artbook was produced with the help of aKickstarter campaign, where you can see a pitch video for the project and number of images that reveal the world-building and visual scope of Stålenhag’s vision for apocalyptic America.
“The opportunity to partner with inspirational talents like Simon, Andy, Chris and Steve is exactly the reason we started our company," the Russos said in a statement to Deadline. “We can’t wait to help this team create something special.”
Here’s the official synopsis forThe Electric State from the Kickstarter page:
“In late 1997, a runaway teenager and her yellow toy robot travel west through a strange USA, where the ruins of gigantic battle drones litter the countryside heaped together with the discarded trash of a high tech consumerist society in decline. As their car approaches the edge of the continent, the world outside the window seems to be unraveling ever faster as if somewhere beyond the horizon, the hollow core of civilization has finally caved in.”
