American novelist, slam poet, and screenwriter
Ernest Christy Cline
(born March 29, 1972) is an American
science fiction
novelist,
slam poet
, and screenwriter. He wrote the novels
Ready Player One
,
Armada
, and
Ready Player Two
and co-wrote the screenplay for the
film adaptation
of
Ready Player One
, directed by
Steven Spielberg
.
Life and career
[
edit
]
Cline was born and raised in
Ashland, Ohio
, the son of Ernest Cline and Faye Imogene Cline.
[2]
[3]
As a youth in the 1970s and 1980s, Cline was "addicted to video games and movies," especially
Star Wars
, the movies of
John Hughes
, and the tabletop roleplaying game
Dungeons & Dragons
. He worked in
information technology
in his twenties and worked on screenwriting during his spare time.
[2]
Fanboys
[
edit
]
Cline co-wrote the screenplay for
Fanboys
, based on a storyline he had developed in the late 1990s while his mother was dying of cancer. Cline shot some low-budget scenes himself and shared his screenplay draft with
Harry Knowles
, whose connections in the film industry helped Cline get the film produced. The final film was co-written by
Adam F. Goldberg
and directed by
Kyle Newman
. It was finally released in 2009 after reshoots, re-edits, and delays. Cline later recalled that the film "changed my whole life.
Fanboys
is my first real original screenplay, and it got made."
[4]
Spoken word
[
edit
]
From 1997 to 2001, Cline performed his original work at
Austin Poetry Slam
venues. He was the Austin Poetry Slam Champ in 1998 and 2001. Cline also competed on the Austin Poetry Slam Teams at the 1998 Austin
National Poetry Slam
and the 2001 Seattle National Poetry Slam.
[5]
[6]
His most popular spoken-word pieces include "Dance, Monkeys, Dance," "Nerd Porn Auteur," and "When I Was a Kid."
[7]
[8]
Cline subsequently reworked "Dance Monkeys Dance" into a faux educational filmstrip, which became a popular viral video that has now been translated into 29 different languages.
[9]
In 2001, Cline self-published a
chapbook
collection of his spoken-word writing,
The Importance of Being Ernest
, and released an album,
The Geek Wants Out
. In the fall of 2013,
Write Bloody Publishing
published a new edition of
The Importance of Being Ernest
with new cover art by Gary Musgrave and new interior illustrations by
Len Peralta
.
[
citation needed
]
Books
[
edit
]
In June 2010, Cline sold his first novel,
Ready Player One
, a book that takes place in a dystopian 2040s. The book was sold in a bidding war to the
Crown Publishing Group
(a division of
Random House
).
[10]
The film rights to the novel were sold the following day, to
Warner Bros.
, with Cline co-writing the screenplay.
[11]
Ten months later, with the hardcover release coinciding with the paperback release, Cline revealed on his blog that both the paperback and hardcover editions of
Ready Player One
contain an elaborately hidden Easter egg. This clue formed the first part of a series of staged video gaming tests, similar to the plot of the novel. Cline also revealed that the competition's grand prize would be a 1981
DeLorean
. The prize was awarded in 2012.
[12]
The paperback is currently in its 17th printing.
Cline's second novel,
Armada
, was released on July 14, 2015, by
Crown Publishing Group
.
[13]
In December 2015 the film rights to
Armada
were sold to Universal Pictures for a seven-figure sum.
[14]
His third novel,
Ready Player Two
was announced in August 2015 and released on November 24, 2020 as a sequel to
Ready Player One
.
[15]
[16]
As of 2020, a film adaptation of the novel was in early development.
[17]
His fourth novel,
Bridge to Bat City
was announced in June 2023 with a planned release by
Little, Brown and Company
in April 2024.
[18]
It will be Cline's first children’s novel and is described as a “'mostly true tall tale' about a recently orphaned young girl named Opal B Flats, who forms an unexpected friendship with a music-loving colony of bats and helps them find a new home against all odds."
Readyverse
[
edit
]
In January 2024, it was announced that Cline has partnered with tech company Futureverse Studios to launch the Readyverse, “a multi-world, multi-IP, interoperable open metaverse experience for mass consumers.”
[19]
Readyverse will feature licensed digital props and other intellectual property from director
Steven Spielberg
’s
Ready Player One
through a deal with distributor Warner Bros. Readyverse also holds the rights to Cline’s other novels (including
Ready Player Two
) as well as his future works.
[20]
Personal life
[
edit
]
From 2003 to 2013 Cline was married to author
Susan Somers-Willett
, with whom he has one daughter.
[21]
[22]
In 2016, he married poet/nonfiction writer
Cristin O'Keefe Aptowicz
, whom he met at the 1998
National Poetry Slam
and began dating in 2013.
[3]
They have one daughter.
[23]
Cline's all-time favorite video game is the arcade classic
Black Tiger
,
[24]
which features prominently in the plot of
Ready Player One
.
Bibliography
[
edit
]
Novels
[
edit
]
Ready Player One
series:
- Ready Player One
(2011)
- Ready Player Two
(2020)
[25]
[26]
Standalone:
Short stories
[
edit
]
Poetry
[
edit
]
- The Importance of Being Ernest
(2013)
[28]
Adaptations
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
John R. Alden.
"Ernest Cline's smart 'Ready Player One' makes cybernerds fun"
,
Cleveland Plain Dealer
, August 22, 2011.
- ^
a
b
Hamburger, Ellis (March 11, 2014).
"Ernest Cline is the luckiest geek alive"
.
The Verge
. Retrieved
October 27,
2019
.
- ^
a
b
"VOWS: "Cristin Aptowicz, Ernest Cline"
"
.
The New York Times
. June 19, 2016.
- ^
Hoffman, Jordan (March 26, 2018).
"The Oral History of 'Fanboys,' a Love Letter to 'Star Wars' Obliterated By the Dark Side of Hollywood"
.
Thrillist
. Retrieved
April 10,
2022
.
- ^
Smith, Clay (June 5, 1998).
"Postscripts: Bloomin' Poets ? Books"
. The Austin Chronicle
. Retrieved
February 24,
2014
.
- ^
Smith, Clay (July 13, 2001).
"Postscripts: Upcoming"
.
The Austin Chronicle
. Retrieved
February 24,
2014
.
- ^
Wheaton, Wil (August 15, 2011).
"You want to accept Anorak's Invitation. Trust me"
. Wilwheaton.net
. Retrieved
February 24,
2014
.
- ^
Fallon, Claire (March 17, 2018).
"Before You Buy 'Ready Player One' Tickets, Read Ernest Cline's Horrifying Porn Poetry"
.
Huffington Post
. Retrieved
February 7,
2023
.
- ^
Cline, Ernest (2013).
The Importance of Being Ernest
. Austin: Write Bloody. p. Introduction.
ISBN
9781938912306
. Retrieved
February 7,
2023
.
- ^
Coll, Kevin (November 21, 2010).
"Cool Novel Ready Player One Gets Publishing Rights and Movie Deal || FusedFilm.com"
.
Fused Film
. Archived from
the original
on November 21, 2010
. Retrieved
January 12,
2024
.
- ^
Fleming, Mike (June 18, 2010).
"Deadline Hollywood ? Warner Bros and De Line Pictures Win Book Auction For Ready Player One"
.
Deadline Hollywood
. Retrieved
February 24,
2014
.
- ^
Frauenfelder, Mark (August 31, 2012).
"Ready Player One DeLorean prize awarded"
.
Boing Boing
. Retrieved
January 12,
2024
.
- ^
Cline, Ernest (February 11, 2015).
"A Long Overdue Update"
.
Ernie's Blog
. Archived from
the original
on January 18, 2016
. Retrieved
February 15,
2015
.
- ^
McNary, Dave; Sneider, Jeff (December 6, 2012).
"Universal sets sail with 'Armada'
"
.
Variety
. Retrieved
February 24,
2014
.
- ^
Busch, Anita (August 10, 2015).
"
'Ready Player One' Author Ernest Cline Seals Monster Deal For Next Book; All Eyes On Film Rights"
. Retrieved
September 9,
2017
.
- ^
Couch, Aaron (July 8, 2020).
"
'Ready Player One' Book Sequel Sets November Publishing Date"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
.
- ^
Spry, Jeff (December 19, 2020).
"Ready Player Two movie is in "early stages," Ernest Cline reveals"
.
Inverse
. Retrieved
February 7,
2023
.
- ^
Grobar, Matt (June 13, 2023).
"
'Ready Player One' Author Ernest Cline Unveils Debut Children's Novel 'Bridge To Bat City'
"
. Retrieved
June 14,
2023
.
- ^
Bloom, David.
"
'Ready Player One' Comes To The Metaverse With Readyverse Studios Launch"
.
Forbes
. Retrieved
January 12,
2024
.
- ^
Weprin, Alex (January 4, 2024).
"A Real-Life 'Ready Player One'? Author Inks Deal to Bring IP to the Metaverse"
.
The Hollywood Reporter
. Retrieved
January 12,
2024
.
- ^
"Marriage/Divorce Indexes"
.
Texas Health and Human Services
. Retrieved
June 6,
2022
.
- ^
Milson, Katherine.
"Interview with Dr. Somers-Willett"
(PDF)
. Retrieved
June 6,
2022
.
- ^
O'Dowd, Peter (November 24, 2020).
"In 'Ready Player Two,' Author Ernest Cline Goes Further Into The Virtual World"
.
WBUR
. Retrieved
February 7,
2023
.
- ^
Bilton, Nick (August 22, 2012).
"One on One: Ernest Cline, Author of 'Ready Player One'
"
.
Bits Blog
. Retrieved
April 4,
2018
.
- ^
Evans, Greg (July 8, 2020).
"
'Ready Player Two' Sequel Novel Set for November Publication Date"
.
Deadline
. Retrieved
January 11,
2024
.
- ^
Canfield, David (December 11, 2017).
"Ernest Cline confirms he's writing a 'Ready Player One' sequel"
.
Entertainment Weekly
. Retrieved
January 12,
2024
.
- ^
Adams, John Joseph (March 31, 2014).
"Author Interview: Ernest Cline"
. Archived from
the original
on February 13, 2020
. Retrieved
July 15,
2018
.
- ^
"
The Importance of Being Ernest' page at publisher Write Bloody Publishing's Website"
. Archived from
the original
on July 15, 2018
. Retrieved
May 8,
2018
.
External links
[
edit
]
|
---|
Books
| |
---|
Films
| |
---|
Music
| |
---|
Related
| |
---|
|
---|
International
| |
---|
National
| |
---|
Artists
| |
---|
Other
| |
---|