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The groundbreaking 1961 novel “Solaris” by Polish sci-fi writer Stanislaw Lem was first brought to the screen by Soviet television. In 1972, Andrei Tarkovsky’s cinematic adaptation emerged as a visionary sci-fi film, leaving a lasting impact on filmmakers for decades. Thirty years later, a remake produced by James Cameron and starring George Clooney debuted, but it received a tepid response from critics and performed poorly at the box office, failing to recoup its production costs.
20th Century Fox
In the 2002 version of “Solaris,” written and directed by Steven Soderbergh, Clooney plays Dr. Chris Kelvin, a psychologist sent to unravel the strange behavior of a space station crew orbiting the enigmatic planet Solaris. He, too, falls under the planet’s mysterious influence. The film’s slow narrative and ambiguous nature were not well-received by mainstream audiences, resulting in low turnout and a challenging score from viewers.
However, over time, “Solaris” has gained appreciation as a compelling psychological space drama for those willing to engage deeply with its themes. It frequently appears in discussions about noteworthy film remakes, with some even arguing it surpasses the 1972 version.
James Cameron, despite a nearly 50-year career in Hollywood with box office hits that rank him among the highest-grossing directors globally, has not directed “Solaris” as of this writing. His extensive filmography expands further when considering projects he has written or produced. Initially attached to direct “Solaris,” Cameron’s commitments led him to step back, leaving him with a producer credit instead.
Ultimately, Steven Soderbergh, known for films like “Ocean’s 11” and “Erin Brockovich,” presented his vision for “Solaris” to Cameron. Impressed by Soderbergh’s approach, Cameron allowed him to lead the project creatively while he took on a supportive producer role.
Cameron fully trusted Soderbergh to take the creative reins
20th Century Fox
Despite working in Hollywood for close to 50 years and generating billions at the box office (only one other name tops him as the highest-grossing director worldwide), James Cameron as of this writing. But his filmography balloons when including movies that he only wrote or produced. And “Solaris” ended up among them, with Cameron only credited as a producer, as to write and direct were abandoned when his schedule didn’t allow it.Â
Eventually, “Ocean’s 11” and “Erin Brockovich” director Steven Soderbergh pitched how he would approach a “Solaris” movie to Cameron. Impressed, he let Soderbergh steer the ship creatively while taking on a producer role.
In some cases, such as Cameron’s “Spider-Man” movie that never got made, he lost all connection to the final product. Other times, like with “Alita: Battle Angel,”  though his script was still used. “Solaris” marks one of the only times that Cameron got the ball rolling on a project and remained on board — albeit in a more creatively hands off way.Â
