EXCLUSIVE: A big-screen adaptation of Dr. Ronald Mallett’s memoir “Time Traveler: A Scientist’s Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality,” co-written by Bruce Henderson in 2006, is in the works from producers Tom Brittney and his Wild Nest Pictures, as well as Josh Green’s Jagman Productions.
Mallett is a theoretical physicist who is best known for his theories on the possibility of time travel. He was one of the few Black Americans to break into the field in his era. Inspired by H.G. Wells, the theories of Albert Einstein, and the belief that time might be more flexible than it appears, he resolved to devote his life to building a time machine to save the man he lost.
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A description for the book reads, “Time Traveler” follows Mallett’s discovery of Einstein’s work on space-time, his study of Godel’s work on a solution of Einstein’s equation that might allow for time travel, and his own research in theoretical physics spanning thirty years that culminated in his recent discovery of the effects of circulating laser light and its application to time travel.
The film project aims to be a genre-blending, emotionally driven drama exploring a boy’s promise, a scientist’s lifelong obsession, and the dream of bending time to reunite with his father, whom he lost when he was 10 years old.
Speaking of the adaptation, Dr. Mallett shared, “Einstein once remarked that ‘…imagination embraces the entire world.’ The dream of building a time machine to see my father again would require the imagination of H.G. Wells and the knowledge of Einstein. To me, the film from producers Tom Brittney and Josh Green will bring that dream to life and inspire future generations.”
Back in 2008, Spike Lee and his production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, acquired the rights to the novel with plans for a film adaptation, with Lee set to co-write and direct. For unknown reasons, the movie was never realized.
Brittney is producing the film under his Wild Nest Pictures banner. As an actor, he is best known for leading PBS Masterpiece/ITV’s flagship drama Grantchester and will next lead MGM’s major new crime series The Westies, opposite J.K. Simmons. Through Wild Nest, he recently produced and directed the award-winning festival short Joe and is producing the upcoming feature adaptation of Jon Ransom’s The Whale Tattoo, which will mark his debut feature as a director. Brittney is represented by Gersh, Authentic Talent & Literary Management, and United Agents in the UK.
Green’s recent credits include executive producing Sam Pollard’s documentaries I Was Born This Way and The League, and Ann Hu’s US/China co-production Confetti. He is currently producing MACRO’s adaptation of Reginald Lewis’s memoir “Why Should White Guys Have All the Fun?” written by Kevin Willmott, as well as Bruce Henderson’s book, “Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler.” His additional projects include biopics on Alicia Alonso and Al McGuire, and a docuseries exploring the history of Willowbrook State Developmental Center. Green is represented by Untitled Entertainment.
Mallett and Henderson are represented by Judi Farkas Management and Alexander, Lawrence, Frumes & Labowitz, LLP.
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