Brade
The critically acclaimed novel *One Second After* by WILLIAM R. FORSTCHEN, which explores the catastrophic consequences of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) attack on the United States, is being adapted into a feature film. The screenplay will be written by renowned sci-fi writer J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI, with Forstchen serving as an executive producer. The project is a collaboration between MPI Original Films and Startling Inc., with filming set to begin in Bulgaria this September under the direction of SCOTT ROGERS.
In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, Forstchen shared the real-world inspiration behind his novel, emphasizing that an EMP attack is not just a fictional threat but a looming danger. “I wanted to write an accurate, very accurate story of what would happen in a small town in North Carolina if the power went off, and it never came back on,” he said.
Forstchen’s journey to writing *One Second After* began during his Ph.D. studies at Purdue University. He described a pivotal moment at his graduation as a “God moment,” which inspired him to focus on his hometown near Asheville, North Carolina. “I was sitting there, sweating in my robes, looking at the students and parents, and it just hit me – write about us, write about my town,” he recalled.
To ensure the novel’s authenticity, Forstchen conducted extensive interviews with local figures, including the police chief and a pharmacist. “I learned how deeply everything depends on that invisible lifeline of electricity,” he said. The pharmacist, in particular, was deeply affected, breaking down in tears while listing the medications that would become unavailable, leading to widespread fatalities within months.
Published in 2009, *One Second After* quickly became a bestseller and remains a staple on the list. The novel’s adaptation into a film aims to bring its urgent message to a broader audience. Forstchen explained the mechanics of an EMP attack, stating, “EMP is generated when a small nuclear weapon, 40 to 60 kilotons or about three times the size of a Hiroshima bomb, is detonated 200 miles out in space above the United States. It sets up an electrostatic discharge, which cascades to the Earth’s surface, feeds into the millions of miles of wires which become antennas, feeds this into the power grid, overloads the grid, and blows it out.”
Citing Congressional reports from 2002 and 2008, Forstchen warned that an EMP strike could result in the deaths of 80% to 90% of Americans within a year. The threat was first recognized during the 1962 Starfish Prime high-altitude nuclear test, which caused significant disruptions despite being conducted far from populated areas. The late PETER PRY, a nuclear weapons expert and former staff director at the Congressional EMP Commission, echoed these concerns. Before his death in 2022, Pry highlighted North Korea’s high-altitude ballistic missile tests as a potential precursor to an EMP attack, warning of catastrophic consequences, including paralyzed cars, falling airplanes, and nuclear reactor overloads.
Forstchen’s work serves as both a gripping narrative and a stark warning, urging preparedness for what he describes as a “very real threat.” The film adaptation is poised to amplify this message, bringing the chilling realities of an EMP attack to the forefront of public consciousness.
**Sources:**
[Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)
[MPI Original Films](https://www.mpi-films.com)
[Startling Inc.](https://www.startlinginc.com)
