Steven Spielberg's 'Ready Player One' Release Date set for 2017

Academy Award-winning director Steven Spielberg is slated to direct his first feature film in collaboration with Warner Brothers since A.I. Artificial Intelligence (2001). Spielberg signed on in March to direct the adaptation of Ernest Cline's novel, Ready Player One. As soon as he is done with producing a Roald Dahl adapted novel, The BFG, he will begin his work with Warner Brothers. It will be nice to see him return to the production company that the Hollywood Reporter says is how he got to "establish his Amblin baner," seeing as he produced a variety of films for WB in the 1980s like Gremlins and The Goonies.

Slash Film gives us a little bit more detail following the book synopsis, "In the year 2044, reality is an ugly place. The only time teenage Wade Watts really feels alive is when he's jacked into the virtual utopia known as the OASIS. Wade's devoted his life to studying the puzzles hidden within this world's digital confines-puzzles that are based on their creator's obsession with the pop culture of decades past and that promise massive power and fortune to whoever can unlock them. But when Wade stumbles upon the first clue, he finds himself beset by players willing to kill to take this ultimate prize. The race is on, and if Wade's going to survive, he'll have to win-and confront the real world he's always been so desperate to escape."

This novel and film not only seems exciting and fraught with promise as entertainment, but especially more capable in the hands of Spielberg. There is a bit of a commentary on today's digital and virtual realities via the Internet and social media. It seems as though it could hit some notes in regards to society and go the extra mile in its message. Let's hope Spielberg will give it his usual effort, especially since he is returning to a production company that he hasn't collaborated with in over 14 years.

Digital Trends also notes that this isn't the only project for Spielberg as of late, "Other highlights on the docket for the ever-busy filmmaker and his production team are Bridge of Spies (producer), a Cold War thriller based on the 1960 U-2 incident starring Tom Hanks coming later this year; Public Morals (exec producer), a police television series set in 1960s NYC debuting on August 25; and Transformers 5 (exec producer), coming in 2017." We certainly can't wait to see more of Spielberg's work, it's always a thrill!