Mark Z. Danielewski drops three new House Of Leaves teleplays, is definitely up to something
Last year, House Of Leaves author Mark Z. Danielewski shared a compelling pilot script he’d written for a series based on the labyrinthian 2000 novel, one that somehow made the dense, experimental story even stranger. Now, as reported by Birth.Movies.Death, he’s shared three more teleplays to his Patreon page. For $9, all three can be yours.
Totaling 178 pages, the three scripts exist independently of the pilot he released last year. As BMD writes, “these new House Of Leaves scripts function more like a sequel, or maybe a sidequel, to the book. A number of new characters are introduced. A handful of classic House Of Leaves characters appear. There is the suggestion that the House’s powers have evolved beyond the House itself, leading to a world-changing event in Iceland and a most disturbing incident inside a popular, in-universe VR game called Harrow 5.5.”
“This is an experiment,” reads a note on the Patreon page. “It will take a committed production to get to 100% unless…” Danielewski is obviously interested in bringing this story to the screen, but he also appears to be committed to writing more even if no network or streamer wants to take a chance. “[I]f there is no production opportunity but enough interest here, Danielewski will continue on with Season One,” the note continues. “And if we get that far, why not a Season Two?”
An experiment, indeed. It reminds us of when Stephen King began releasing sections of a new novel, The Plant, as an e-book back in 2000. King said he’d only keep writing if enough people paid for it, but the project tapered off after six parts. Online commerce and the consumption of art has changed so radically in subsequent years since that Danielewski’s effort is likely to thrive in ways King’s couldn’t. If anything, it will undoubtedly inspire budding filmmakers to film their own versions of the author’s scripts.
Anyways, if you want to read more, become a patron here.