CONSIDER PHLEBAS TV Series in the Works At Amazon

The Culture is coming. According to Deadline, the first novel in the Culture series, Consider Phelbas, is being adapted for television. Not only that, but the series has already found a home over on Amazon, after considerable interest by other studios. With Amazon’s big genre push, it’s no surprise that the corporate giant would bring more sci-fi series to the table. This would also be another large book adaptation for the company.

First published in 1987, this space opera revolves around the Culture and the Idiran Empire as they wage a galaxy-wide war. The Culture are an advanced, progressive society while the Idirans are deeply religious and warlike. The Culture features humanoids, aliens, and advanced artificial intelligences living in the Milky Way in Socialist habitats. Yes you read that correctly, our Milky Way Galaxy! The novel focuses on Horza, an Idiran agent who is sent to obtain the “Culture Mind”, an artificial intelligence exponentially smarter than any human that has the power to wipe out the Culture entirely. Horza despises the Culture for their “dependence” on machines and seemingly lack of spirituality. Iain M. Banks‘ Culture series spans over 10 books but so far Amazon has only gained the rights to the first novel.

Utopia creator Dennis Kelly is currently set to pen the script with Plan B Entertainment producing. The Estate of Iain M. Banks is on as executive producer. Sharon Tal Yguado, Head of Scripted Series at Amazon Studios enthused about being able to bring the series to life. “The story of the Culture is so rich and captivating that for years Hollywood has been trying to bring this utopian society to life on the screen. We are honored that we have been chosen, along with Dennis Kelly and Plan B Entertainment, to make Consider Phlebas into a television series we think will be loved by fans for years to come.”

In addition, Kelly also shared his excitement on working on the project, admitting that he’s actually a big fan of the author. “Iain Banks has long been a hero of mine, and his innate warmth, humor and humanism shines through these novels. Far from being the dystopian nightmares that we are used to, Banks creates a kind of flawed paradise, a society truly worth fighting for—rather than a warning from the future, his books are a beckoning.” Fingers crossed that his love of the series will help create that much more care into the story.

What do you think of the news? Are you looking forward to the series? Let us know! Be sure to come back to Geek Girl Authority for more Culture updates. The Consider Phelbas series does not have a release date.