Russell A. Reball

In a fractured post-civil-war America, a fugitive enhanced soldier is forced to work with the damaged military company that captured him after they become trapped in a dead-zone town protected by a weaponized mining machine, a disturbed young woman, and a population that has mistaken survival for innocence. Sci-fi thriller with fairy-tale horror undertones.

This story of a thinking mech is "geared" toward audiences seeking action, suspense and a bit of mystery to an otherwise routine genre that has been lacking these qualities. And yet, it sits in a commercially recognizable lane: military sci-fi survival thriller with post-apocalyptic western texture. The script's thematic exploration of engineered warfare and unchecked technological advancements lends meaningful market positioning similarities to properties such as: Halo, The Expanse, Edge of Tomorrow, The Hunger Games, Pacific Rim, District 9, Ready Player One and War Machine. Authentic military references and tactics would appeal to a demanding military fanbase as well (the author is an Army veteran). Original genre pieces like this find homes for steaming with Netflix, Amazon, AMC, and Shudder.

By the close of the film the audience will have grown to understand that this robot is more than a monster and will be saddened by its situation by the film's conclusion. The ending lands with a melancholy genre intelligence--no one is actually victorious. And in war, that is often how it is.

No better time than now with the current global situation. The aim is to strike while the iron is hot with this sci-fi "war story". It also lends itself to topical discussions of artificial intelligence.

I'm seeking script option/sale. With every effort to inspire, I am hoping to gain the attention of a producer/director who sees this military hardware sci-fi crossed with dark fairy-tale hybrid as a commercial property worth committing to. With a filmmaker's clear vison, I foresee The Sapphire King as a marketable viability for film and streaming as well as franchise potential.