Director Ridley Scott always thrived in the science fiction genre. Both Alien and Blade Runner are highly regarded films; something other filmmakers strive for. Then there’s the recent Prometheus — sure, it was met with mixed reactions, but it was Scott returning to the genre he excelled at, and he still has a knack for mind-blowing visuals.

There’s one story that Scott wanted to adapt for the past 25 years: The Forever War. And the wheels are finally set in motion. Screenwriter D.W. Harper was tasked to adapt the novel into a script for Scott. His last screenplay was All You Need is Kill.

The Forever War takes place in a futuristic setting following a conscript in a war against an alien race. Seeing as how the war spans across different planets, soldiers experience time dilation. The main character survives the ordeal and comes home to find many years have passed on earth; people he knew are long gone and society has evolved. Doing what comes natural, he returns to serving as a soldier in the same war that still rages on.

I’ve read the novel and enjoyed it immensely. The soldier’s inability to cope with society after war took inspiration from the Vietnam War. What makes it unique is that author Joe Haldeman actually served in the Vietnam War, and took his experiences as influence for the novel.

I’m very excited for the film adaptation, especially since Ridley Scott is hellbent on bringing it to fruition. If you haven’t read the novel, do yourself the favor and read it. Here, I’ll make it easy: you can buy it HERE.

[Deadline]