Teaser image for Charlie Kaufman scripted “The Memory Police”.

It’s been four years since it was announced that Lily Gladstone is set to star in her “favourite screenwriter” Charlie Kaufman’s film “The Memory Police”. Reed Morano is directing the pic, and yesterday she posted an image on her Instagram stories, seemingly teasing the film. It has expired already. The film has been already shot, and is setting up a 2025 release.

Charlie Kaufman adapted the script from acclaimed 1994 science fiction novel by Yoko Ogawa. Martin Scorsese is set as executive producer on the film.

Some Kaufman fans were slightly disappointed that he is isn’t directing the pic, only writing it. Instead, Reed Morano will helm the film, she’s known for her work on TV’s “The Handmaid’s Tale”, and two mixed-reviewed indie films (“I Think We’re Alone Now” and “The Rhythm Section”).

Synopsis for “Memory Police”: Ogawa’s novel is a parable taking place on an unnamed island off an unnamed coast where a majority of the island’s residents are subject to collective amnesia. They endure a process of forgetting things, including objects, people and daily rituals, with the amnesia enforced by an organization called The Memory Police. In the story, a novelist tries to hide her editor, who can still remember, from The Memory Police, while she encourages her to write her book.

Kaufman is the mind-tripping writer behind “Being John Malkovich”, “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind” and “Adaptation”. He hasn’t directed a film since 2020’s excellent “I’m Thinking of Ending Things”. His other notable directing credits include; 2008’s “Synecdoche New York” and 2015’s “Anomalisa”.

Last year, Kaufman spoke about a script he had written for Ryan Gosling to star in, which he wanted to direct. He was looking for funding, but there’s no update on it since then.

Kaufman has another project soon to release on Netflix, he penned the animated “Orion and the Dark”, which is based on a 2014 book by Emma Yarlett and directed by animator Sean Charmatz in his feature debut. The film is set to stream in February.