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“57 Seconds”, film based on a story by SF and fantasy author EC Tubb, set for September release

By John Freeman on July 25, 2023

57 Seconds (2023) starring Morgan Freeman and Josh Hutcherson

Josh Hutcherson (The Hunger Games) and Academy Award winner Morgan Freeman (Million Dollar Baby) star in 57 Seconds, a new heart-racing action thriller in cinemas in September. It’s based on a short story by EC Tubb, the award-winning British author of over 140 science fiction, fantasy and western novels, perhaps best known for his “Dumarest Saga” and Space:1999 stories.

In the upcoming film, directed by Rusty Cundieff (Tales from the Hood), and also starring Greg Germann, Lovie Simone, Bevin Bru and Sammi Rotibi, when a tech blogger discovers a time-altering device, he unleashes its power to rewrite the past and seek revenge against the ruthless corporate empire that destroyed his family.

But his actions soon trigger a terrifying chain of events, propelling him into a pulse-pounding battle for survival where every second counts…

The new film, already attracting plenty of press attention, is based Tubb’s Europa Prize-winning short story “Lucifer!”, first published in 1972, later published in a slightly revised version under the title “Fallen Angel”.

downthetubes contributor Philip Harbottle has often discussed EC Tubb’s work in his excellent 1950s British Science Fiction videocasts, presented on YouTube, and tells us he will be releasing a “Special” soon, telling the story behind the new film, scripted by Macon Blair and Rusty Cundieff.

Tubb, who died in 2010, a co-founders of the British Science Fiction Association, was the author of over 140 novels and 230 short stories and novellas, many under pen names He’s best known for “The Dumarest Saga“, an epic science-fiction saga set in the far future, charting the adventures of traveler Earl Dumarest as he attempts to find his way back to his home planet, Earth, from a region of space so far distant that the existence of the planet is believed to be nothing more than a myth.

Many of his fantasy and SF books are available as eBooks through Amazon.

He was the author of six novels based on Gerry Anderson’s television series, Space: 1999: Breakaway (1975), Collision Course (1975) and Earthbound (2003) are novelisations of eleven scripts written for the series’ first season format (including two that were subsequently filmed as second-season episodes), while Alien Seed (1976), Rogue Planet (1976) and Earthfall (1977, revised 2002) are original novels set within the first season continuity. The latter rejected the format changes of the TV series’ second season to provide a satisfactory conclusion to the Space 1999 story.

• Subscribe to 1950s British Science Fiction YouTube Channel here

• Many of EC Tubb’s fantasy and SF books are available as eBooks through Amazon

• EC Tubb: Wikipedia

John Freeman

The founder of downthetubes, which he established in 1998. John works as a comics and magazine editor, writer, and on promotional work for the Lakes International Comic Art Festival. He is currently editor of Star Trek Explorer, published by Titan – his third tour of duty on the title originally titled Star Trek Magazine.

Working in British comics publishing since the 1980s, his credits include editor of titles such as Doctor Who Magazine, Babylon 5 Magazine, and more. He also edited the comics anthology STRIP Magazine and edited several audio comics for ROK Comics. He has also edited several comic collections, including volumes of “Charley’s War” and “Dan Dare”.

He’s the writer of “Pilgrim: Secrets and Lies” for B7 Comics; “Crucible”, a creator-owned project with 2000AD artist Smuzz; and “Death Duty” and “Skow Dogs” with Dave Hailwood.