Nicolas Winding Refn (Bronson, Drive, Valhalla Rising) seems to be heading into another world: the world of fantasy and science fiction. Screenrant has reported that the director is adapting the French cyberpunk comic L’Incal, by French/Chilean filmmaker, artist, and visionary, Alejandro Jadorowsky,  into a live action film.

Winding Refn is keeping busy. His latest film Only God Forgives, starring Ryan Gosling, was met with mixed emotions at Cannes. Many called the film too violent. His next scheduled project is the reboot of  William F. Nolan’s sci-fi novel, Logan’s Run, which Gosling was originally slated to headline, but has dropped out. Refn is also creating a TV show based on Jean Claude Forest’s sci-fi comic Barbarella, originally adapted for the screen by Roger Vadim, starring his then-wife, Jane Fonda. Scribes Neal Purns and James Wade (Skyfall) are penning the script.

The adaptation of the French dystopian 1980’s comic L’Incal, will be challenging.   Written by Alejandro Jodorowsky (who wrote, directed and starred in the surreal Mexican film El Topo) with illustrations by Moebius, the book is considered by many to be the greatest comic ever written, and has had a profound influence on all comics and science fiction since. The 12 comics in the series have been published into one book by Humanoid Publishing.

L’Incal is a metaphysical satirical space opera with plenty of brutality and psychomagical weirdness (in a good way). Much of the flavor of the comic comes from the brilliant illustrations of the recently deceased, Jean Giraud (Moebius). It will be interesting to see  how Nicolas Winding Refn will bring these fantasies to life. Said Jadorowsky of the comic, “I wanted the reader to feel he was experiencing an acid trip.”