Way back in (surprise!) 1984, there was a Michael Radford (King Lear) directed big0screen adaptation of George Orwell‘s classic dystopian novel 1984, which starred John Hurt, Richard Burton and Suzanna Hamilton. Surprisingly, there hasn’t been an adaptation of the novel since then. That’s all about to change, thanks to Ron Howard and Brian Grazer‘s production company Imagine Entertainment.

THR reports that Imagine is teaming up with Julie Yorn‘s LBI Entertainment to develop a new take on the classic novel. Imagine and street artist Shepard Fairey, best known for creating the Barack Obama “Hope” poster were simultaneously pursuing Orwell’s estate for the rights to 1984 and decided to pair up. Fairey will likely take on a producer role once the project is underway.

Orwell’s 1984 is set in a dystopian society in a perpetual state of war, which in turn leads to a state of paranoia. Propaganda, surveillance, mind control and cult of personality. The story centers on Winston Smith, who works for a government branch called the Ministry of Truth, where he alters facts and histories but secretly harbors desires of rebellion (as well as desires of a forbidden love affair). The ideas in the novel became hugely influential in the worlds of politics and art, with the author’s name eventually becoming an adjective (Orwellian).

No production or release dates have been announced for 1984.