"The dean of American science fiction writers"...?

According to THR, Bryan Singer plans to direct an adaptation of Robert Heinlein's classic 1966 sci-fi novel The Moon is a Harsh Mistress. I'm not a big Heinlein fan—I find his portrayal of sex to be straight-up creepifying—but Singer has plenty of experience with filming sci-fi, cult classics, and the 1960s, so I expect this sucker will turn a respectable profit.

Note: I don't really get the "dean" thing, but apparently it's a sci-fi specific accolade.