# The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 - Hardcover

by **Chris Nashawaty** (Author)

"Hollywood boldly went where it hadn't gone before and Nashawaty chronicles the journeys." **_\--Los Angeles Times_ ("Books You Need To Read This Summer")**

"Written with a fan's enthusiasm . . . An important inflection point in Hollywood filmmaking." **--_New York Times_ ("Nonfiction Books to Read This Summer")**

In the summer of 1982, eight science fiction films were released within six weeks of one another. _E.T., Tron, Star Trek: Wrath of Khan, Conan the Barbarian, Blade Runner, Poltergeist, The Thing_, and _Mad Max: The Road Warrior c_hanged the careers of some of Hollywood's now biggest names--altering the art of movie-making to this day.

In _The Future Was Now_, Chris Nashawaty recounts the riotous genesis of these films, featuring an all-star cast of Hollywood luminaries and gadflies alike: Steven Spielberg, at the height of his powers, conceives _E.T._ as an unlikely family tale, and quietly takes over the troubled production of _Poltergeist_, a horror film he had been nurturing for years. Ridley Scott, fresh off the success of _Alien_, tries his hand at an odd Philip K. Dick story that becomes _Blade Runner__\--_a box office failure turned cult classic. Similar stories arise for films like _Tron, Conan the Barbarian,_ and _The Thing._ Taken as a whole, these films show a precarious turning-point in Hollywood history, when baffled film executives finally began to understand the potential of high-concept films with a rabid fanbase, merchandising potential, and endless possible sequels.

Expertly researched, energetically told, and written with an unabashed love for the cinema, _The Future Was Now_ is a chronicle of how the revolution sparked in a galaxy far, far away finally took root and changed Hollywood forever.

### Author Biography

**Chris Nashawaty** is a writer, editor, and former _Entertainment Weekly_ film critic. He is the author of _Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story_ and his work has appeared in _Esquire,_ _Sports Illustrated,_ and _Vanity Fair._ He currently lives in Los Angeles with his family.

**Number of Pages:** 304

**Dimensions:** 1.04 x 9.51 x 6.3 IN

**Publication Date:** July 30, 2024

## Details

- **Price:** 29.99 USD
- **Vendor:** Books by splitShops
- **Type:** Books
- **Tags:** Books by splitShops, Shopify Collective

## Variants

| Variant | Price | Available |
|---------|-------|-----------|
| Default Title | 29.99 USD | In stock |

## Images

- The Future Was Now: Madmen, Mavericks, and the Epic Sci-Fi Summer of 1982 - Hardcover

---

> Source: [Smart supply deals](https://smartsupplydeals.com/products/the-future-was-now-madmen-mavericks-and-the-epic-sci-fi-summer-of-1982-hardcover)
> Updated: 2026-07-23