Editing Logan's Run

{{Short description|1967 novel by William F. Nolan & George Clayton Johnson}}
{{about|the 1967 book}}
{{Redirect|Jessica 6|the band|Jessica 6 (band)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2013}}
{{Infobox book| <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Novels or Wikipedia:WikiProject_Books -->
| name          = Logan's Run
| title_orig    =
| translator    =
| image         = Logan's Run.jpg
| caption       = First edition; cover art by [[Mercer Mayer]]
| author        = [[William F. Nolan]]<br>[[George Clayton Johnson]]
| illustrator   =
| cover_artist  =
| country       = United States
| language      = English
| series        =
| genre         = Science fiction novel
| publisher     = [[Dial Press]]
| release_date  = 1967
| media_type    = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
| pages         = 133
| preceded_by   =
| followed_by   = [[Logan's World]]
}}

'''''Logan's Run''''' is a [[science fiction]] novel by American writers [[William F. Nolan]] and [[George Clayton Johnson]]. Published in 1967, the novel depicts a [[dystopic]]  [[Malthusian]] future society in which both population and the consumption of resources are maintained in equilibrium by requiring the death of everyone reaching the age of 21<!--DO NOT CHANGE THIS TO 30. IT IS AGE 21 IN THE BOOK, 30 IN THE FILM. THIS ARTICLE IS ABOUT THE BOOK-->. The story follows the actions of Logan, a ''Sandman'' charged with enforcing the rule, as he tracks down and kills citizens who "run" from society's lethal demand—only to end up "running" himself.

==Plot==
The introduction to the book says:

{{bquote|The seeds of the Little War were planted in a restless summer during the mid-1960s, with [[sit-in]]s and student demonstrations as youth tested its strength. By the early 1970s, over 75 percent of the people living on Earth were under twenty-one years of age. The population continued to climb—and, with it, the youth percentage. In the 1980s, the figure was 79.7 percent. In the 1990s, 82.4 percent. In the year 2000—[[Critical mass (sociodynamics)|critical mass]].}}

In the world of 2116, a person's maximum age is strictly legislated: 21 years, to the day. When people reach this ''Lastday'' they report to a ''[CTF] Sleepshop'' in which they are willingly executed via a pleasure-inducing toxic gas. A person's age is revealed by their ''palm flower'' crystal embedded in the palm of their right hand that changes color every seven years; yellow (age 0–6), then blue (age 7–13), then red (age 14–20), then blinks red and black on Lastday, and finally turns black at 21.

''Runners'' are those who refuse to report to a Sleepshop and attempt to avoid their fate by escaping to Sanctuary—a place where they can live freely in defiance of society's dictates. Logan 3 is a ''Deep Sleep Operative'' (also called a ''Sandman'') whose job is to terminate Runners using a special weapon called simply "the gun", a handgun with selectable ordnance keyed to self-destruct if touched by an individual who is not the proper owner. Runners are most terrified of a weapon called the "Homer", which homes in on body heat and ignites every pain nerve in the body, killing the target.

Sandmen practice Omnite, a hybrid type of [[martial arts]]. On his own Lastday, Logan becomes a Runner himself in an attempt to infiltrate an apparent [[Underground Railroad|underground railroad]] for runners seeking Sanctuary.

For most of the book, Logan is an [[antihero]]; however, his character develops a sympathy towards Runners, and he becomes more of a traditional hero figure.

Despite her initial distrust of him, he is aided by Jessica 6, a contact that Logan made after he chased her Runner brother, Doyle 10, into Cathedral, where he was killed by the vicious pre-teens known as "Cubs".

Francis, another Sandman and a friend of Logan, catches up with Logan and Jessica after they have managed to make it to the final staging area before Sanctuary. Francis reveals that his true identity is that of the legendary Ballard, who has been helping arrange their escape. Francis tells them he is actually aged 42, but due to his faulty palm flower, which does not change color, and through use of plastic-surgery shops, he has been able to disguise his true age and appearance. He is working from within the system, as he believes the computer controlling the global infrastructure, buried beneath [[Crazy Horse Memorial|Crazy Horse]] Mountain, is beginning to malfunction, and that society will die with it.

Sanctuary turns out to be Argos, a previously abandoned [[Space habitat|space colony]] near [[Mars]].

Logan and Jessica escape to the colony on a rocket, which departs from a former space program launch site in Florida, while Ballard remains to help others escape.

==Sequels and spin-offs==
Nolan wrote two sequels, ''[[Logan's World]]'' and ''Logan's Search'', published after the film's release (respectively in 1977 and 1980). There is also a novelette, "Logan's Return", that was published as an [[e-book]] in 2001. Two other novels, ''Logan's Journey'' and ''Logan Falls'', have been co-written (respectively with Paul McComas and with [[Jason V Brock]]), but not yet published and were intended to be released simultaneously with a remake of the film adaptation.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.theworldoflogansrun.com/nolan08262010.htm |title=The World of Logan's Run |author=William F. Nolan |year=2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717043558/http://www.theworldoflogansrun.com/nolan08262010.htm |archive-date=July 17, 2011 |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

''Logan's World'' deals with events following Logan's return to Earth, amidst the survivors and ruins of the system he escaped in the first novel, while ''Logan's Search'' deals with Logan going to an alternate reality (with the assistance of [[Extraterrestrial life|aliens]]) to once again stop the government system he escaped in the first novel, albeit with some minor changes.

George Clayton Johnson's long-rumored personal sequel to ''Logan's Run'', titled ''Jessica's Run: A New Sequel for the Logan's Run Universe'', was said to be "in development".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wbmtagency.com/about-us/|archive-url=https://archive.today/20150204091256/http://www.wbmtagency.com/about-us/|url-status=dead|archive-date=2015-02-04|title=Jessica's Run}}</ref> It was still in development at the time of George Clayton Johnson's death on [[Christmas Day]] 2015.

==Reception==
[[David Pringle]] gave ''Logan's Run'' two stars out of four and praised the novel as "a good SF thriller"; he also stated it was superior to the film version.<ref>David Pringle, ''The Ultimate Guide to Science Fiction''. New York: Pharos Books: St. Martin's Press, 1990.{{ISBN|0886875374}} (p.185-6).</ref>

==Adaptations==
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2014}}

===Film===
{{main|Logan's Run (film){{!}}''Logan's Run'' (film)}}
The novel was adapted in 1976 as [[Logan's Run (film)|a film]], directed by [[Michael Anderson (director)|Michael Anderson]] and starring [[Michael York]] as Logan 5 (not 3), [[Jenny Agutter]] as Jessica 6, and [[Richard Jordan]] as Francis 7. The film was produced by Saul David, a former MGM executive and well-known science fiction supporter (having produced and developed ''[[Fantastic Voyage]]'' in 1966 at Fox, and developed ''[[Westworld (film)|Westworld]]'' at MGM). The film uses a very limited set of premises and plot lines from the novel (everyone must die at a specific age, Logan runs with Jessica as his companion while being chased by Francis).

The film's world is a post-apocalyptic, [[Dystopia|dystopian]] one, in which people now live inside a huge domed city and are oblivious of the world outside, believing it to be a barren, poisonous environment. The motivations of the characters are also quite different{{emdash}}in the film, the age of planned death is 30{{emdash}}instead of reporting to a Sleepshop, citizens must take part in a ritual called {{sic|"Carro|usel"}}<!--please do not change "Carrousel" to "Carousel"; it is spelled as such on screen--> in which they are incinerated <!--"incinerated" is the correct term, as this is seen happening onscreen--> with the chance of being "renewed". Logan is a 26-year-old Sandman, sent by the computer to find and destroy Sanctuary. The computer alters his palm flower (here called a "life clock") to show him as approaching Lastday, and he becomes a runner and escapes from the city.

Sanctuary turns out not to exist (it is revealed that Runners have actually been murdered by a malfunctioning food processing robot just outside the city). The only other person that Logan and Jessica encounter outside the city is an old man ([[Peter Ustinov]]) who lives with a large number of cats in the [[United States Senate chamber]] of the largely intact ruins of [[Washington, D.C.]] Logan kills Francis, who is simply a Sandman in the movie and not a rebel leader, and leads the old man back to remain just outside the domed city, returning to try to lead a revolt against the culling. No one believes or listens to him or Jessica, and instead he is captured by Sandmen. In his interrogation by the computer, his information of there being no Sanctuary causes the computer to malfunction and self-destruct. Logan and Jessica then flee.

As the young population leave the confines of the burning and exploding domed city, they meet the old man outside{{emdash}}the first time they have seen anybody of that age.

====Possible remake====
In the mid-1990s, [[Warner Bros.]] began development of a remake of the movie.<ref name="universe">{{cite news | author=Michael McCarty | url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue260/interview.html | title=''Logan's Run'' creator William F. Nolan invites readers into his dark universe | publisher=[[Syfy|Sci Fi Channel]] | date=August 2000 | access-date=April 15, 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061022062812/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue260/interview.html <!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date = October 22, 2006}}</ref> In April 2000, director [[Skip Woods]] entered negotiations with the studio and producer [[Joel Silver]] to write and direct the remake.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2000-04/19/10.00.film |title=Woods To Direct ''Logan's Run'' |publisher=[[Sci Fi Wire]] |date=April 19, 2000 |access-date=April 15, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041217050127/http://www.scifi.com/scifiwire/art-main.html?2000-04%2F19%2F10.00.film |archive-date=December 17, 2004}}</ref> The director planned to make it closer to the novel than the original film, restoring elements including Crazy Horse Mountain and sky gypsies.<ref name="universe" /> In March 2004, director [[Bryan Singer]] was brought in to develop and direct ''Logan's Run''. Singer had begun working with production designer Guy Dyas from his previous film ''[[X2 (film)|X2]]'' (2003).  Screenwriters Ethan Gross and Paul Todisco were hired to write the script with the director, with the film being slated for a 2005 release.<ref>{{cite news |author=Michael Fleming |url=https://variety.com/2004/film/markets-festivals/warners-on-the-run-1117901259/ |title=Warners on the 'Run' |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |date=March 4, 2004 |access-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref> In October, Singer said he had begun [[previsualization]] of ''Logan's Run'', which would be completed by the time he finished production of his project at the time, ''[[Superman Returns]]'' (2006).<ref>{{cite news |author=Capone |url=https://www.aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=18610 |title=Capone interviews Bryan Singer – Talk of SUPERMAN, X3, LOGAN'S RUN & Fox's TV show HOUSE... & Hugh Laurie talks too!!! |publisher=[[Ain't It Cool News]] |date=October 12, 2004 |access-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref> The following December, screenwriter [[Dan Harris (screenwriter)|Dan Harris]] said that he and the director had turned in a first draft for ''Logan's Run''. The screenwriter said that the remake would contain more action than the original film, describing the premise to be "a remake of the concept of the movie plus the book".<ref>{{cite news |author=Jeff Otto |url=http://movies.ign.com/articles/570/570528p1.html |title=Dan Harris Talks ''Superman'' |publisher=[[IGN]] |date=December 2, 2004 |access-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref>

In February 2005, screenwriter [[Christopher McQuarrie]] was hired to rewrite the script, with filming to take place in Australia.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue410/news.html |title=Silver Updates ''V'', ''Logan'', ''Reaping'' |publisher=[[Syfy|Sci Fi Channel]] |date=February 28, 2005 |access-date=April 15, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070718140654/http://www.scifi.com/sfw/issue410/news.html<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=July 18, 2007}}</ref> One year later, ''Logan's Run'' was announced to begin production later that year in [[Vancouver]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Pamela McClintock |url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/warner-s-men-in-tights-1117938709/ |title=Warner's men in tights |work=Variety |date=February 22, 2006 |access-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref> The following May, Singer's availability to direct ''Logan's Run'' was rendered questionable by scheduling conflicts with filming a planned sequel to ''Superman Returns''.<ref>{{cite news |author=Pamela McClintock |author2=Michael Fleming |url=https://variety.com/2006/film/markets-festivals/inside-move-superman-playing-with-singer-s-sked-1200336420/ |title=Inside Move: 'Superman' playing with Singer's sked |work=Variety |date=May 15, 2006 |access-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref> By May, Singer confirmed that he would not direct ''Logan's Run'', seeking a vacation from the demands of his job.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.moviesonline.ca/movienews_12116.html |title=Bryan Singer Off Logans Run Movie |publisher=Movies Online |year=2006 |access-date=April 15, 2007}}</ref> Directors [[Robert Schwentke]] and [[James McTeigue]] were approached for the project, but neither signed on.<ref name=EW2005>{{cite news |author=Dawnie Walton |url=https://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20052655,00.html |title='Logan's Run' Remake Resurrected |newspaper=Entertainment Weekly |date=August 22, 2007 |access-date=July 6, 2012 |archive-date=January 21, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121154834/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20052655,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In April 2007, producer Joel Silver reiterated his plan to remake the original film.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070403/ennew_afp/entertainmentusfilm_070403202832 |title='Matrix' producer plans remake of sci-fi classic |publisher=[[Yahoo! News]] |date=April 3, 2007 |access-date=April 15, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409171601/http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070403/ennew_afp/entertainmentusfilm_070403202832<!-- Bot retrieved archive --> |archive-date=April 9, 2007}}</ref> Later in August, [[Joseph Kosinski]] signed on to direct the film.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.slashfilm.com/496933/logans-run-finally-finds-a-director/|title=Logan's Run Finally Finds a Director |date=August 21, 2007 }}</ref>

In May and June 2010, Carl Erik Rinsch was hired to direct, and [[Alex Garland]] and [[Michael Dougherty]] were set to write the script.<ref>{{cite news |author=Helen O'Hara |url=https://www.empireonline.com/movies/news/alex-garland-goes-logan-run/ |title=Alex Garland Goes on a Logan's Run |publisher=Empire |date=June 16, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Screenplay Review - Logan's Run |url=https://scriptshadow.net/screenplay-review-logans-run/ |website=ScriptShadow |access-date=18 February 2022 |date=27 July 2020}}</ref> Rinsch later pulled out of the project due to scheduling conflicts.<ref name=Rinsch>{{cite news |title=Carl Rinsch No Longer Directing 'Logan's Run' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/blogs/heat-vision/carl-rinsch-no-longer-directing-44947 |access-date=July 6, 2012 |newspaper=The Hollywood Reporter |date=November 12, 2010 |author=Borys Kit}}</ref> In August 2011, [[Denmark|Danish]] filmmaker [[Nicolas Winding Refn]] was attached to direct the remake, which would star [[Ryan Gosling]] and [[Rose Byrne]], with a script by Andrew Baldwin.<ref>[http://blastr.com/2011/08/want-a-wonder-woman-movie.php Blastr.com ''"Want a Wonder Woman movie? Better hope that Logan's Run is a hit!"''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915105141/http://blastr.com/2011/08/want-a-wonder-woman-movie.php |date=September 15, 2012 }}, ([[Syfy]]) (August 16, 2011)</ref><ref name=Baldwin>{{cite news |title=Ryan Gosling's 'Logan's Run' Remake Enlists New Screenwriter |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/ryan-goslings-logans-run-remake-255108 |access-date=July 6, 2012 |newspaper=Hollywood Reporter |date=October 31, 2011 |author=Borys Kit |author2=Matthew Bellon}}</ref> In June 2013, video game developer [[Ken Levine (game developer)|Ken Levine]] was attached to write the screenplay.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2013/06/bioshock-creator-ken-levine-takes-on-logans-run-script-for-warner-bros-523717/ |title='Bioshock' Creator Ken Levine Takes On 'Logan's Run' Script For Warner Bros |author=Mike Fleming Jr |work=Deadline|date=June 18, 2013 }}</ref> The latest concept for the film was based on a female lead in April 2015.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tracking-board.com/tb-exclusive-the-logans-run-remake-will-now-have-a-female-lead/ |title=TB EXCLUSIVE - THE "LOGAN'S RUN" REMAKE WILL NOW HAVE A FEMALE LEAD |publisher=Tracking Board |date=April 6, 2015}}</ref> 

By July 2015, Levine had exited the project and was replaced by [[Simon Kinberg]], who in addition to writing a new story and treatment, also planned to produce the film with [[Greg Berlanti]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.polygon.com/2015/7/24/9036355/ken-levine-no-longer-writing-logans-run-but-is-working-on-another|website=[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]] |title=Ken Levine no longer writing Logan's Run, but is working on another movie |date=July 24, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/simon-kinberg-takes-over-from-ken-levine-on-logans/1100-6429119/|title=Simon Kinberg Takes over from Ken Levine on Logan's Run Script }}</ref> 
[[Ryan Condal]] was reportedly hired to write the screenplay, based on Kinberg's treatment in June 2016.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2016/06/logans-run-remake-ryan-condal-warner-bros-1201763919/|title='Logan's Run' Redo Starts Anew with 'Colony's Ryan Condal |date=June 2016 }}</ref> In March 2018, Kinberg was confirmed to be directing the film, from a screenplay by [[Peter Craig]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://deadline.com/2018/03/warner-bros-sets-up-logans-run-with-hunger-games-writer-peter-craig-1202280867/|title=Warner Bros Sets up 'Logan's Run' with 'Hunger Games' Writer Peter Craig |date=March 2, 2018 }}</ref>

Silver resigned from his own production company in 2019, amid allegations of financial mismanagement; the blog ''[[Gizmodo]]'' later speculated that his resignation meant that the remake would "most likely never happen".<ref>{{cite web |title=Warner Bros.' Logan's Run Remake Is Probably Never Going to Happen |url=https://gizmodo.com/warner-bros-logans-run-remake-is-probably-never-going-1847144359 |first=Beth |last=Elderkin |date=June 28, 2021 |work=Gizmodo}}</ref>

===Television===
{{main|Logan's Run (TV series)}}
A [[Logan's Run (TV series)|television series spin-off]] from the film, starring [[Gregory Harrison]] as Logan 5 and [[Heather Menzies]] as Jessica 6, lasted one season of 14 episodes, from September 16, 1977, through January 16, 1978, on U.S. television (CBS-TV). [[D. C. Fontana]] served as story editor and employed several other writers from ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'', as well as the original novel's authors. The series pilot was produced by Saul David, who was replaced by CBS with veteran television producers [[Ivan Goff]] and [[Ben Roberts (writer)|Ben Roberts]].

===Other adaptations===
* [[Marvel Comics]] published a short-lived [[comic book]] series, which adapted the movie's story and briefly continued beyond it until the book was cancelled at issue #7.
* A ''[[Logan's Run (game)|Logan's Run]]'' [[play-by-mail game]] based on the novel started in 1983.
* From June 1990 to March 1992, [[Malibu Comics|Adventure Comics]] published mini-series comics adaptations of ''Logan's Run'' and ''Logan's World'', six issues each, with art by [[Barry Blair]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.selena.com.fr/Site/Site/Part_2/Logan/Logan1and2.htm |title=Logan's Run Comic issues |publisher=Malibu Comics}}</ref> A promised adaption of ''Logan's Search'' never materialized.
* A hardcover ''Logan's Run Annual'' based on the TV series and featuring strip art by [[David Lloyd (comics)|David Lloyd]] was published in the United Kingdom by publishers [[Brown Watson]] in late 1977, dated 1978. In addition, a ''Logan's Run'' comic strip also based on the TV series, written by [[Angus P. Allan]] and drawn by [[Arthur Ranson]], ran in the TV-based British weekly comic ''[[Look-In]]'' from April–September 1978.<ref name="Price Guide">{{cite book |last=McAlpine |first=Duncan |title=Comic Book Price Guide for Great Britain 1996-97 |year=1996 |publisher=Titan Books of London |location=London |isbn=1-85286-675-6 |pages=731}}</ref>
* In 2000, [[Emperor Norton Records]] published ''[[Logan's Sanctuary]]'', an album of [[electronica]] music conceived as the soundtrack to an imagined ''Logan's Run'' sequel, written and performed by [[Roger Joseph Manning Jr.]] and [[Brian Reitzell]], and featuring contributions from [[Jason Falkner]].
* ''City of Domes'', an [[alternative reality game]] (ARG), was created by the web development group at VirtuQuest.com. The game was a recreation of the ''Logan's Run'' city, some 30 years after Logan 6's adventures.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://virtuquest.com/gallery/cityofdomes/login.php |title=CITY OF DOMES |publisher=virtuquest.com}}</ref>
* Beginning in 2010, [[TidalWave Productions|Bluewater Productions]] began publishing various iterations of the original novel and continuations of the characters in comic book format, starting with ''Logan's Run: Last Day''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bluewaterprod.com/comics/logans_run.php |title=Logan's Run: Last Day: Comics |work=Bluewater Productions |year=2009 |access-date=March 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218110235/http://www.bluewaterprod.com/comics/logans_run.php |archive-date=February 18, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

==See also==
{{portal|Novels}}
* ''[[The Bull's Hour]]'', [[Ivan Yefremov]]'s 1968 book
* [[Dystopia]]{{\}}[[Utopia]]
* [[Eugenics]]
* [[Euthanasia]]{{\}}[[Agathusia and aschimothusia|Aschimothusia]]
* ''[[The Giver]]''
* "[[Half a Life (Star Trek: The Next Generation)|Half a Life]]" (''Star Trek: The Next Generation'')
* [[Human population control]]
* ''[[In Time]]''
* [[The Island (2005 film)|''The Island'']]
* ''[[Soylent Green]]''

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://archive.org/details/logansrun00nola ''Logan's Run''] at the Internet Archive

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[[Category:1967 American novels]]
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[[Category:Novels set in the 2110s]]
[[Category:Novels about consumerism]]
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