Screenwriter Drew Goddard Comes Home To Los Alamos For Screening Of ‘The Martian’

Screenwriter Drew Goddard
 
By BONNIE J. GORDON
Los Alamos Daily Post

Growing up in Los Alamos served screenwriter Drew Goddard well in creating his script for “The Martian.”

“I was surrounded by real scientists growing up and I was impressed by their great sense of humor and positivity,” he said.

When a friend sent him Andy Weir’s 2011 novel of the same name, then only in e-book form, Goddard was immediately hooked on the way scientists were accurately portrayed.

Movie poster for ‘The Martian’. Courtesy/Reel Deal Theater

“‘The Martian’ is a movie about scientists, and scientists taking care of one another and trying to solve problems,” Goddard said.

The son of Colleen Mary Hogan and Dr. Laurence Woodbury Goddard, the screenwriter will be joined by family and friends in Los Alamos for a screening of the film at 5 p.m. Sunday at the Reel Deal Theater. Goddard will give a 10-minute talk prior to the showing of the film. Tickets are on sale now.

“The theater filled up for the 5 p.m. showing, so we’re opening a second theater,” Jim O’Donnell of the Reel Deal Theater said. “Drew will speak at 5 p.m. in the first theater and then in the second theater at 5:10 p.m., … tickets are going fast for the second showing.”

Los Alamos’ very own Hollywood screenwriter got his start scripting for Joss Whedon’s “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” and “Angel.” He and Whedon later co-wrote the feature film, “The Cabin in the Woods,” which Goddard directed. He also wrote the screenplay for the critically acclaimed film “Cloverfield,” and worked on the script for hit zombie film World War Z.

Goddard also has written for television’s “Alias” and “Lost,” and is executive producer of the Netflix series “Daredevil.”

Goddard was originally slated to direct “The Martian,” but when other commitments got in the way, sent the script to director Ridley Scott, one of his heroes. Scott read the script on an airplane and was on the phone agreeing to direct before he de-planed, Goddard remembered.

“The Martian” stars Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jeff Daniels. Astronaut Mark Watney (Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew during a manned mission to Mars. But Watney survives and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. NASA and a team of international scientists work to bring “the Martian” home, while his crewmates concurrently plot a daring rescue mission.

Goddard said he’s pleased to bring scientists to the screen as they really are. “I think there’s this tendency to make them very stuffed shirt, and the opposite is true. There’s a much more sort of gallows humor that I’ve really adored, and that was there in the book.”

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