Is ‘The Island’ (2005) Based on a Book? The Truth About Its Inspiration and Lawsuit
The Island (2005) Is Not Based on a Book
The short answer: The Island is not based on a published book. The 2005 science fiction film was written by Caspian Tredwell-Owen, Alex Kurtzman, and Roberto Orci, based on an original story by Tredwell-Owen. The film had a substantial budget of $126 million and was directed by Michael Bay for DreamWorks Pictures. It was released on July 22, 2005.
Where the “Clonus” Confusion Comes From
Your confusion about a book called “Clonus” makes sense—there isn’t one. What exists is Parts: The Clonus Horror, a 1979 science fiction film (not a book) that shared remarkably similar plot elements with The Island. In fact, the filmmakers of the 1979 film believed the similarities were so close that they filed a copyright infringement lawsuit.
Interestingly, the title itself reflected a compromise: director Robert S. Fiveson wanted to call the film “Clonus,” while the distributor pushed for “Parts.” It became a 1979 independent film made on a tiny budget of $350,000—shot in Simi Valley, California, and at Moorpark College.
The Plot Similarities That Sparked a Lawsuit
Both films center on the same core concept: a sealed, controlled environment where clones are grown to serve as organ donors for wealthy individuals in the outside world. In each story, a clone discovers the truth and escapes, pursued by the facility’s operatives. The protagonist eventually meets the person he was cloned from and attempts to expose the operation.
According to reports from the lawsuit, the producers of Parts: The Clonus Horror listed 90 instances where they claimed The Island was identical or substantially similar to their 1979 film. Premiere magazine even noted that “the first hour of The Island plays like a much more expensive, albeit scene-for-scene remake.”
The Legal Settlement
When The Island was released in 2005, the filmmakers and studio behind Parts: The Clonus Horror filed a federal lawsuit against DreamWorks Pictures. A federal judge determined that the infringement case had sufficient merit to proceed to trial, which was scheduled for February 2007. However, DreamWorks settled the case out of court in late 2006 for an undisclosed seven-figure sum.
Other Possible Inspirations
While not the primary source, The Island may have drawn some thematic inspiration from Michael Marshall Smith’s 1996 novel Spares, which features intelligent clones being raised in a facility to supply replacement organs. DreamWorks had optioned the novel in the late 1990s, though the project never came to fruition. Additionally, The Island borrowed conceptually from several dystopian science fiction films of the 1960s and 1970s, including Logan’s Run, THX 1138, and Fahrenheit 451.
Bottom Line
No book called “Clonus” exists. The Island is an original screenplay, but it closely paralleled a 1979 independent film of the same concept, which led to a significant legal settlement. If you’re interested in the premise, both films explore similar cloning and dystopian themes, though with very different budgets and production scales.