Actor, writer and singer-songwriter Lin-Manuel Miranda has confirmed he is no longer attached to the long-gestating attempt to bring Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle to the screen.
Interest in the property began back in 2007, when The Name of the Wind was published to a rapturous reception and very high sales. It intensified in 2011, when the sequel The Wise Man's Fear was published.
In 2015, Rothfuss reached a wide-ranging and high-value deal with production company Lionsgate that included a feature film trilogy based directly on the novels, as well as a TV show which would act as a prequel and focus on Kvothe's parents. The following year it was confirmed that Miranda, the nuclear-hot creator of hit stage musical Hamilton, was working on the project as a songwriter for both the films and the TV series, whilst Lindsey Beer was working on the script for the first movie, based on The Name of the Wind.
In 2017, things really got moving when Showtime optioned the TV series rights, attaching John Rogers (Leverage, The Librarians) to write, produce and showrun. In 2018 Sam Raimi entered talks to direct the first film. A few months later, in 2019, John Rogers confirmed he had written all ten scripts for Season 1 of the show, which was entering pre-production. Things looked like they were going very well.
Then things collapsed, pretty quickly. In September 2019 Showtime abruptly halted all work on the Kingkiller TV series and returned the rights to Lionsgate. By that time it was clear that Raimi had passed on the movie project, and subsequently opted to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness instead. The rumour in Hollywood was that Showtime has massively over-committed to its ambitious Halo TV series, spending much more than originally planned, and had to quickly divest itself of several other expensive shows, even ones that had been greenlit, in order not to have a huge budget overrun. Ironically, of course, Halo was moved from Showtime to Paramount+ and the financial issues sorted out behind the scenes, meaning that possibly the Kingkiller project could have moved forwards after all.
In November 2020, Lin-Manuel Miranda confirmed he was still working on the IP, but the plan to adapt the (gigantic) novels as single movies had now been abandoned and the project was being reconceptualised as a TV show based directly on the novels. Miranda cited his work on the HBO/BBC co-production His Dark Materials (based on Philip Pullman's novels) as giving him a "fresh perspective" on the complexities of adapting a fantasy trilogy for the screen.
Miranda's departure from the project seems to be down to two reasons. First, his own workload is through the roof. He is currently enjoying huge success from his work on the Disney animated movie Encanto, including his first-ever Number One single for "We Don't Talk About Bruno." His 2021 film Tick, Tick...Boom! has also enjoyed significant critical and commercial success. Secondly, it sounds like he had not found a way of adapting the books' structure satisfyingly, noting that it has an "insane Russian nesting doll structure," a reference to its multiple timelines.
An unspoken fly in the ointment is that the third novel in the trilogy, The Doors of Stone, remains incomplete after eleven years. Rothfuss's editor confirmed in 2020 that she had not yet read a single word of the book and did not believe any work had been done on it since 2016. Rothfuss has since spoken more openly about progress on the book, and read its prologue for the first time last year. However, no release date has been set.
Given the immense success of the books - reportedly well over 10 million and possibly closer to 20 million copies of the two books have been sold to date, easily making them the most successful debut epic fantasy series this century - it is likely an adaptation will eventually happen. However, it will not be in the near future and it sounds like it will be without Lin-Manuel Miranda's involvement.
In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Lin-Manuel Miranda has confirmed that work remains on hold on an adaptation of Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle novel series.
Lionsgate acquired the rights to Rothfuss's novels in 2015 and put a multi-pronged plan into operation, including a direct adaptation as a movie trilogy, a video game and a prequel TV series about the parents of the main character in the books, Kvothe. Work initially went very well, with Showtime picking up the TV project and Sam Raimi in talks to direct the film. Screenwriter John Rogers even completed the writing of all ten episodes of the planned first season of the show. Unfortunately, the project then collapsed last year. Showtime, facing massive budget overruns from its Halo TV series, cancelled the TV series and returned the rights to Lionsgate, whilst Sam Raimi withdrew from the film project.
According to Miranda, his stint playing Lee Scoresby on the BBC's His Dark Materials has given him "a new perspective" on the project, including the plan to adapt each of the three Rothfuss novels as a two-hour film. His Dark Materials is developing each of Philip Pullman's books across eight hours and even so has had to leave material out. To put this in context, the second Kingkiller novel, The Wise Man's Fear, is longer than all three Dark Materials novels combined by itself.
It sounds like the movie part of the project may therefore be dead, with a direct adaptation of the novels themselves as a TV show now the plan.
Despite this rethink, the project remains where it was with no TV channel or streamer currently attached. Reportedly Apple+ has passed on the project, meaning there aren't many more venues that might be interested. Netflix and Amazon have multiple fantasy projects (including The Witcher, The Chronicles of Narnia, Conan the Barbarian and a live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender for the former and Wheel of Time and Lord of the Rings: The Second Age for the latter) either shooting or in pre-production already and other potential partners might be holding fire to see how they pan out.
An additional problem is that the Kingkiller Chronicle remains incomplete. It's been almost ten years since the previous volume in the series, The Wise Man's Fear, was released and in July Rothfuss's editor confirmed she hasn't read a word of it and doesn't believe Rothfuss has touched the manuscript since 2014. Rothfuss himself has refused to discuss the status of the third book, The Doors of Stone, for many years, instead running online charity events and video game streaming events.
The Name of the Wind and The Wise Man's Fear are two of the biggest-selling fantasy novels of the past two decades though, having chalked up approximately 20 million sales of just two books (in comparison, Brandon Sanderson has sold around 30 million copies, but of more than two dozen books), with a formidable fanbase. If an adaptation could be well-made, it would likely be popular, but after the reception to the final season of Game of Thrones, potential partners might be wary of embarking on a similar project.
In somewhat surprising news, Patrick Rothfuss's editor Betsy Wollheim has reported that she is yet to read any material from his next novel, The Doors of Stone, the third and concluding volume in The Kingkiller Chronicle, and notes a lack of communication on the book's progress.
A draft of The Doors of Stone, reportedly from 2013.
Rothfuss shot to fame with the first book in the trilogy, The Name of the Wind, in 2007. With over 10 million sales, The Name of the Wind became one of the biggest-selling debut fantasy novels of the century. The second book, The Wise Man's Fear, did as well on release in 2011. Nine years later, the third book remains unpublished.
The Doors of Stone is probably the second-most-eagerly-awaited fantasy novel of the moment, behind only George R.R. Martin's The Winds of Winter, which it actually exceeds in waiting time (though only by five months). Martin has providedupdates on The Winds of Winter, albeit extremely infrequent ones, but has recently reported much more significant progress being made. Rothfuss, on the other hand, has maintained near constant zero radio silence on the status of book in recent years, despite posting a picture of an apparently semi-complete draft in 2013 that was circulating among his beta readers.
Reasons for the delay, as with Martin, have been speculated. Rothfuss has reported bouts of ill health, as well as trauma related to family bereavements. Rothfuss was also closely involved in an attempt to launch a multimedia adaptation of his books, which would have involved both a trilogy of films based directly on the novels and a prequel TV series revolving around the parents of his protagonist, Kvothe. However, the TV show was cancelled mid-development at Showtime, apparently due to massive cost overruns on their Halo television series, and a new network has not yet picked up the series. The movies also fell out of active development when director Sam Raimi, who had expressed interest, decided to move forward with a different project. Both projects now appear to be on the backburner at Lionsgate (unsurprisingly, the pandemic has not helped this situation).
Rothfuss has also been involved in charity work, blogging, video game commentary, spin-off material and contributing writing to other projects, causing comparisons to be drawn with Martin's similar engagement in secondary projects, which some commentators have speculated is the main cause of delays on the books. Without having access to an author's schedule, it is of course impossible to say if this is really the case, only that the perception of it being the case becomes unavoidable if the author in question is refusing to provide concrete updates on their book progress whilst discussing other, unrelated work in multiple public communications. Questions of ethics and obligations on the part of authors to their readers have circulated on this subject for decades, ever since the delays to Harlan Ellison's The Last Dangerous Visions (originally due to be published in 1974, Ellison was allegedly still occasionally promising to publish it at the time of his death in 2018) stretched into the decades, and have been debated ad nauseam online enough to avoid going over them again here, suffice to say that the tolerance for such activities will vary dramatically by reader.
"This article is right: authors don't owe their readership books, but what about the publishers who paid them? Book publishing is not as lucrative as many other professions, and publishers rely on their strongest sellers to keep their companies (especially small companies like DAW) afloat. When authors don't produce, it basically f***s their publishers...When I delayed the publication of book two, Pat was very open with his fans--they knew what was happening. I've never seen a word of book three."
Wollheim's statement is surprising, however. Martin has noted being in communication with his editors on numerous occasions, flying to New York to provide in-person updates and apologise for the book's lateness, and periodically submitting completed batches of chapters for them to work on whilst he continues to write new material. In the case of The Kingkiller Chronicle, Wollheim reports not having read a single word of The Doors of Stone in the nine years since The Wise Man's Fear was published, which is mind-boggling. If Rothfuss had a semi-complete draft in 2013 that he was circulating to friends and early readers, the question arises why he didn't also share this draft with his publishers. Furthermore, if the book's non-appearance since 2013 indicates considerable problems with this draft (as would appear inevitable), it would also appear to be common sense to share that draft with his publishers to see if they agree. It's not uncommon for authors to believe their latest novel is poor and a disaster and threaten to delete it and having to be talked off the ledge by their editors, since they've been working so closely on the material that they've lost all objectivity.
Normally, of course, authors only share completed manuscripts (at least in first draft) with their editor, but when the author in question is a decade behind schedule and one of the biggest-selling authors in the publishers' stable, that normally changes to having much more regular feedback.
Although she notes the impact a long-missing manuscript can have on the margins of a small publisher like DAW, Wollheim notes no ill feeling towards Rothfuss and she continues to be proud of him and the work they've done in the first two volumes:
"If I get a draft of book three by surprise some time, I will be extraordinarily happy...joyous, actually, and will read it immediately with gusto. I love Pat's writing. I will instantly feel forgiving and lucky. Lucky to be his editor and publisher."
In a somewhat surprising move, Showtime has halted development of the Kingkiller Chronicle prequel TV series and returned the rights to Lionsgate Television.
The news comes as a surprise after a period in which a confident Showtime seemed eager to take the fight to old rivals HBO and newcomers Netflix and Amazon, all of them have big-budget fantasy shows in development, shooting or getting ready to air. With HBO prepping two Game of Thrones spin-offs and getting ready to air a Watchmen sequel show and a new version of His Dark Materials, Netflix preparing to launch The Witcher and Amazon beginning filming on both The Wheel of Time and Lord of the Rings: The Second Age this month (albeit only preliminary shooting in the latter case), Showtime seemed well-placed with their new TV project.
However, reports suggest that Showtime may have over-committed to its ambitious, top-dollar TV version of the Halo video game franchise (which recently began shooting) and no longer have the financial bandwidth to commit to Kingkiller at the same time. Releasing the rights voluntarily, especially after the significant amount they paid for them at auction in 2017, suggests that the network may have been at fault in the issue. Lionsgate are now shopping the rights around, but are finding the market glutted with high-budget fantasy projects, with no room at the inns of Netflix, Amazon or HBO.
Lionsgate now seem to be targeting Apple TV, which is still on the lookout for high-profile projects to bolster its launch lineup (which includes a TV adaptation of Isaac Asimov's Foundation saga and a new project from Battlestar Galactica and Outlander showrunner Ronald D. Moore). Apple have not committed to the project so far.
The Kingkiller Chronicle TV series is set some decades before the books and explores the lives of two characters, widely believed to be Kvothe's parents, on the world of Temerant. Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, His Dark Materials) is set to executive produce, create music and possibly act, whilst John Rogers (Leverage, The Librarians, The Player) is writing and showrunning.
The original plan was for the TV series to launch alongside a big-budget, direct movie adaptation of the first novel in the series, The Name of the Wind. However, progress on getting the movie made stalled earlier this year after would-be director Sam Raimi passed on the project.
Some fans have speculated that studios may be sceptical of the project given that the source material remains incomplete, with the third book remaining incomplete after at least nine years of work. However, the prequel series is not dependent on source material and seems to be a work of passion for the in-demand Miranda, increasing the likelihood it will find a new home elsewhere.
Scriptwriter John Rogers has completed his writing for the first season of Showtime's Kingkiller Chronicle prequel TV series.
Rogers announced the completion of the writing on Twitter, and that he is now working on revising the overall season arc to make sure it all hangs together.
Showtime greenlit a TV series that will serve as a prequel to The Kingkiller Chronicle last year, although Rogers has been working on the project since 2016. The series is expected to be set decades before the novels and will feature Kvothe's parents as important characters. Lin-Manuel Miranda is serving as executive producer and composer for the TV series, and has already delivered several songs for the first season.
A trilogy of movies which will directly adapt the books is also in development, but suffered a blow when director Sam Raimi, who was being courted for the role, chose to move on to other projects. Without a major director helming The Name of the Wind, it's less likely that the project will move forwards. However, with the third and concluding novel in the series still unpublished, time is not a critical factor at the moment.
Rogers' previous credits include writing or co-writing the movies Catwoman, The Core and Transformers, and working on TV series such as Leverage, The Librarians and The Player.
According to Rogers, the first season of the show will consist of ten episodes. It will start filming before the end of this year for transmission on Showtime in 2020. The Kingkiller Chronicle is part of Showtime's aggressive plan to reassert themselves in the genre TV space, where they've been outshone by HBO (Showtime rejected the Game of Thrones pitch in 2007, presumably to their regret), Starz and AMC in recent years. As well as Kingkiller, they are working on a big-budget Halo TV series which is in the casting phase.
Patrick Rothfuss has confirmed that his Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy is merely the "prologue" to another story, confusing a lot of people in the process.
Patrick Rothfuss released the first book in the trilogy, The Name of the Wind, back in 2007 with a lot of pre-publicity about how the trilogy was already complete and also with the intimation that the trilogy was merely the start of a larger story. After all, The Name of the Wind opens with a present-day storyline in which the world is clearly in chaos and darkness, and then the bulk of the trilogy unfolds in flashback and explains how events led to that impasse. Logically, unless Rothfuss was planning to end the series with "and everything sucks now, kthxbai", the story was going to continue in a sequel series which addresses the problems set up in the first few books.
However, Rothfuss has spent the decade or so since then refuting the idea of there being a further series or sequel. As the gaps between books grew longer (the second volume, The Wise Man's Fear, was released in 2011 and the third volume, The Doors of Stone, is still to be published), he has repeatedly played down suggestions that there are more books coming.
Why he broke his silence now is unclear, although there's been some significant news recently. There's both a movie trilogy based directly on the books in the planning stages, with Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) producing and Sam Raimi (the Spider-Man trilogy, the Evil Dead series) in talks to direct, and a prequel television series focusing on Kvothe's parents in development at Showtime. Rothfuss has also spoken about the book a bit more (after several years of avoiding it), indicating it will be shorter than The Wise Man's Fear and that writing it is uncomfortably like "having sex in public". There is, however, still no indication of when the book will be done.
So now we know what we only thought we knew in 2007. The circle is complete.
Lionsgate are developing an ambitious, multi-media approach to adapting The Kingkiller Chronicle. They are simultaneously developing a movie trilogy which will directly adapt the three novels - The Name of the Wind (2007), The Wise Man's Fear (2011) and The Doors of Stone (forthcoming) - and a prequel TV series which will explore the adventures of Kvothe's parents. The TV series is in development at Showtime.
Lindsey Beer has written the script for the film, but the real reason things are moving is down to Lin-Manuel Miranda. Having achieved superstar status thanks to his Broadway musical Hamilton, Miranda has made the Kingkiller project his next priority. He is working on the music for both the TV series and films, including the in-universe songs, and is executive producing. With Hollywood keen to tap his talent, interest in this project has sky-rocketed.
The financial success of the novels has certainly helped: Patrick Rothfuss is the biggest-selling debut fantasy author of the 21st Century. The Name of the Wind, The Wise Man's Fear and spin-off novella The Slow Regard of Silent Things have sold well over 10 million copies between them in just over a decade.
However, work on the project may be dependent on Rothfuss releasing the third novel in the series: despite claiming the trilogy was complete over a decade ago and releasing pictures of the apparent manuscript for The Doors of Stone in 2013, the book is still has no release date set.
Sam Raimi is an interesting choice to helm the movie: although his reputation was made in gory horror movies (such as the cult Evil Dead trilogy, its remake and the ongoing Ash vs. Evil Dead TV series), Raimi achieved his greatest success with his three Spider-Man movies starring Tobey Maguire. He also directed Oz the Great and Powerful in 2013 and has been looking for another feature film project since then.
Back in February 2016, I looked at all of the science fiction and fantasy novels headed for the screen (some of which have now aired). I thought it would be useful to update the list and take a look at the status of some of these projects and some new ones that have entered the development slate since then.
Filming/Ready to Air
Annihilation by Jeff VanderMeer
Based on The Southern Reach Trilogy (2014) • Film • 23
February 2018 • Directed by Alex Garland
This film is based on the first book in Jeff VanderMeer's Southern Reach
Trilogy, detailing an expedition into the mysterious "Area X" where
the team encounters bizarre fauna. Frequent Danny Boyle writer and collaborator
Alex Garland strikes out on his own here with only his second directed movie
(his first was the very-well-received Ex Machina). The movie stars Natalie
Portman, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tessa Thompson and Gina Rodriguez. Although
Garland only plans the one movie, it's possible we may see the sequels Authority and Acceptance filmed
if the film is successful.
How to Talk to Girls at Parties by Neil Gaiman
Based on "How to Talk to Girls at Parties" in Fragile
Things (2006) • Film • 11 May 2018 • Directed by John
Cameron Mitchell
The first of numerous Neil Gaiman projects on this list, How to Talk to
Girls at Parties is based on a short story from his 2006 collection, Fragile
Things, about a bunch of lads who go to a party to pick up girls only to get in
over their heads when the girls turn out to be not exactly what they were
expecting. Filming commenced in November 2015, starring Nicole Kidman and Matt
Lucas.
The Punisher
Based on The Punisher from Marvel Comics (1974-present) •
TV series • 17 November 2017 • Airing on Netflix
Jon Bernthal reprises his role as Marvel’s titular, violent
vigilante from the second season of Daredevil.
Ready Player One by Ernest Cline
Based on Ready Player One (2011) • Film • 30 March
2018 • Directed by Steven Spielberg
Spielberg's next project is based on Ernest Cline's novel, which is set in 2044
and features an "Easter Egg" hunt by both individual geeks and massive
corporate powers through a huge VR world, in search of a prize that could
change the world. Tye Sheridan and Olivia Cooke are the young stars whilst Ben
Mendelsohn, Mark Rylance, Simon Pegg and T.J. Miller provide support.
Altered Carbon by Richard Morgan
Based on the Takeshi Kovacs novels (2002-05) • TV Series • February
2018 • Airing on Netflix
Netflix and producer Laeta Kaolgridis (Avatar, Shutter Island) have
teaming up for a TV series based on Richard Morgan's violent, visceral
cyberpunk trilogy featuring the character of Takeshi Kovacs. Set in the 25th
Century, the story revolves around people who can "resleeve"
themselves in different bodies for interstellar travel and infiltration
missions. Kovacs sets out to investigate a murder and winds up wreaking bloody
vengeance after he is targeted for assassination. The TV series will apparently
adapt all three novels (Altered Carbon, Broken Angels and Woken
Furies), as well as introducing new stories set between the books. The Land
Fit For Heroes fantasy trilogy, set in the same universe (or at least
multiverse), is apparently not included in the deal. Joel Kinnaman, James
Purefoy, Martha Higareda, Renee Goldsberry and Dichen Lachman star.
The City and The City by China Mieville
Based on The City and The City (2009) • TV Series • 2018 •
Airing on the BBC
The BBC have produced an adaptation of China Mieville's bizarre crime novel
about two cities, Beszel and Ul Quoma, which coexist at the same point in space
and time. Tony Grisoni, the co-writer of Tideland, Fear and Loathing
in Las Vegas and the TV series Red Riding, has written the script. David
Morrissey stars as Tyador Borlu. Filming was completed in August and the
project is likely to air in the first half of 2018.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
Based on Good Omens (1993) • TV Series • To air on the BBC
and Amazon
Pratchett and Gaiman's collaboration about the end of the world, competing
angels and the horsemen of the apocalypse is both funny and profound. Terry
Gilliam was attached for many years and came close to making the film in 2002,
but couldn't quite close the funding deal. His Monty Python collaborator
Terry Jones was also a massive fan of the novel and was also involved in
writing scripts and proposals. However, galvanised by the recent passing of
Terry Pratchett, the project is now filming at the BBC, with Neil Gaiman
writing and producing, along with Pratchett’s Narrativia company. David Tennant
and Michael Sheen star.
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Based on Watership Down (1972) • TV Series • To air on Netflix
in 2018 or 2019
Netflix is deep in production on a new animated version of
Richard Adams’ classic children’s novel, previously filmed in 1978. Voice
recording for the series is complete, but the late 2017 release date has been
moved back and – oddly – the Netflix website page for the show has been taken
down, suggesting they foresee a lengthy delay as they complete the animation.
James McAvoy, Ben Kingsley, Gemma Arterton, Olivia Coleman, Anne-Marie Duff,
Nicholas Hoult and John Boyega are providing the vocal talent.
Greenlit
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Silver Chair by C.S.
Lewis
Based on The Silver Chair (1953) • Film • 2019/20 •
Joe Johnston
After the disappointing performance of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader in
2010 it was assumed this movie series was dead in the water, with neither
Disney nor 20th Century Fox interested in continuing the franchise. Instead,
the C.S. Lewis Company and the Mark Gordon Company are apparently pressing
ahead by themselves with an adaptation of The Silver Chair. Joe Johnston
has confirmed that he will direct and it will also be his final film before he
retires.
Dune by Frank Herbert
Based on Dune (1965) • Film • 2020/21 • Denis Villeneuve
Denis Villeneuve is slow, thoughtful SF's bright new hope, having pulled off a massive one-two punch with Arrival (2016) and Blade Runner 2049 (2017), the two smartest and most interesting SF movies of recent years. Legendary Pictures have tapped him to direct a new version of Frank Herbert's Dune, potentially as a two-movie project. However, Villeneuve has indicated he may need to take a break first, so this film might be more 3-4 years away.
His Dark Materials by Philip Pullman
Based on the His Dark Materials Trilogy (1995-2001) • TV series • 2019/20 •
Airing on the BBC
New Line's previous attempt to develop Pullman's YA novel trilogy as a movie
series fell afoul of the American religious lobby and the disappointing
performance of the Golden Compass movie in 2007. This new attempt sees New
Line partnering with Bad Wolf Productions and the BBC for an ambitious
five-season, 40-episode series based on all of the books in the trilogy. Bad
Wolf's development deal with HBO suggests that they may also come on board, at
least to distribute the series in the United States. The project was
delayed but is now in pre-production. Interest in the franchise has been
reinvigorated by Philip Pullman publishing the first in a new sequel trilogy (The
Book of Dust), La Belle Sauvage.
Forgotten Realms
Based on the Dungeons and Dragons campaign setting (1987-present) •
Film • 2019/20• Rob Letterman
Hasbro had been fighting a legal battle with Sweetpea Entertainment for the
past three years over who owns the movie and TV rights to the Dungeons and
Dragons roleplaying game until, rather unexpectedly, they made peace
through the medium of money and, mutually and swiftly, joined forces with
Warner Brothers to develop a new film. This new movie will be set in the Forgotten
Realms campaign setting (the most detailed fantasy world ever created) and
is apparently being fast-tracked for release in the next few years. Hasbro
and Warner Brothers hope to develop the Dungeons and Dragons name
into a Marvel-style multiverse where many different films can coexist, so
there's rather a lot riding on the film. David Leslie Johnson is writing the
script, Rob Letterman is directing and Ansel Elgort (Baby Driver) has been
courted to star.
Game of Thrones Prequel Project by George R.R. Martin
Based on A Song of Ice and Fire (1996-present) • TV • In development at HBO
With Game of Thrones itself wrapping up in 2018 or 2019, HBO are pressing forwards with an idea for a prequel show. Five different ideas are being developed by writers including Bryan Cogman and Jane Goldman with one or two expected to be greenlit as pilots and one show picked out from them to debut in 2020.
The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss
Based on The Kingkiller Chronicle Trilogy (2007-present) • TV
and film • In development at Lionsgate and Showtime
Patrick Rothfuss's The Kingkiller Chronicle, comprising The Name of
the Wind (2007), The Wise Man's Fear (2011) and The Doors of
Stone (forthcoming), is the biggest and most successful debut epic fantasy
series this century so far, so it's unsurprising that when it was optioned, it
was optioned big. Lionsgate plan a trilogy of films directly based on the
novels, to be scripted by Lindsey Beer, and a spin-off prequel TV series. The
TV series has been greenlit at Showtime, with Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) producing
and providing music.
The Last Policeman by Ben H. Winters
Based on The Last Policeman (2012) • TV series • Pilot
greenlit at NBC
CBS optioned this novel shortly after publication, but did not move forward
with it. The rights were later sold to NBC, who have ordered a pilot. The
premise is interesting: it is discovered that a massive asteroid is six months
from colliding with Earth and ending all life on the planet. As chaos erupts,
one cop decides to stay honest and keep investigating murders. It's a nice
idea, but potentially limited, and possibly a little too similar to the film Seeking
a Friend for the End of the World, which debuted shortly after the option was
taken out.
Nightflyers by George R.R. Martin
Based on Nightflyers (1980) • TV Series • Pilot
greenlit at SyFy
SyFy have ordered a pilot based on George R.R. Martin’s SF
novella, previously filmed in 1987.
Watchmen by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons
Based on Watchmen (1985) • TV Series • Pilot greenlit at
HBO
Zack Snyder directed a faithful movie version of Alan Moore's seminal graphic
novel in 2009. It had a mixed reaction, some praising it for his faithfulness
to the novel and others lambasting it for being too faithful,
resulting in pacing issues. HBO is now moving forwards with a fresh take on the
series, greenlighting a pilot to be written by Lost and Leftovers writer David
Lindelof. It's unclear if this will simply adapt the novel again, taking
advantage of a longer running time to explore the graphic novel's backstory in
greater detail, or if it will draw on DC's controversial Before Watchmen project
for additional material.
The Witcher by Andrzej Sapkowski
Based on the Witcher novels, short stories and video games (1991-present) • TV Series • Series greenlit at Netflix
A TV series based on Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher stories has been greenlit by Netflix. Tomas Baginski, who directed the elaborate CGI mini-movies for the three video games, is producing and will direct one episode per season. It's believed his company will also provide the elaborate CGI that will be needed for the series. Sapkowski is serving as a creative consultant on the show. Sean Daniel and Jason Brown are also producing.
Optioned
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman
Based on Anansi Boys (2005) • TV Series • Optioned by the
BBC but likely now expired
Anansi Boys is a companion novel to American Gods, focusing on
side-characters from that novel. The BBC optioned this in early 2014 but no
further news has been revealed. More recently, it was confirmed that the American
Gods TV series will be using material from Anansi Boys in future
seasons, suggesting that the BBC adaptation may no longer be happening.
Ancillary Justice by Ann Leckie
Based on the Imperial Radch Trilogy (2013-15) • TV Series •
Optioned by Fox
Anne Leckie's trilogy of Ancillary Justice, Ancillary Sword and Ancillary
Mercy has been the big breakout space opera of the past few years, so
it's unsurprising that it's been picked up by Fox TV. However, the trilogy's
unusual gender definitions may make for a tricky adaptation. Here's hoping Fox
don't just ignore them.
The Black Company by Glen Cook
Based on the Black Company novels (1984-present) • TV Series • Optioned by David Goyer
The Black Company series is one of the most influential fantasy series of all time, a dark and morally complex saga of a mercenary army fighting for an evil empire. Actress Eliza Dushku and writer David Goyer have picked up the rights with a view to making an ongoing television series based on the books, and have been trying to interest a studio in the project.
Darkover by Marion Zimmer Bradley
Based on the Darkover novels (1958-2013) • TV Series • Optioned
by Amazon
Amazon TV are looking at developing a TV series based on the Darkover books
by Marion Zimmer Bradley and several other authors. These books are set on an
ice-gripped planet where there is only one small area of human habitation. This project has been percolating on the back burner for a few years now, and it's unclear if it will move forwards.
Discworld: The City Watch by Terry Pratchett
Based on Guards! Guards! (1989) and numerous sequels • TV
Series • In development at Narrativia
The City Watch, or The Watch, is a proposed 13-episode TV series based on
the Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett, specifically those dealing with
the Ankh-Morpork City Watch under the command of Sam Vimes. The proposed TV
series would apparently, over the course of several seasons, both adapt those
books (Guards! Guards!, Men at Arms, Feet of Clay, Jingo, The
Fifth Elephant, Night Watch, Thud! and Snuff, arguably
also Monstrous Regiment) and slot in "crime of the week" one-off
episodes as well. Narrativia, a production company set up by Terry Pratchett
himself in 2011 and now run by his daughter Rihanna (a respected writer in her
own right), is handling the adaptation. The BBC was reportedly interested
before significant budget cuts at the corporation kicked in. Narrativia are
apparently looking at other partners to handle the series, but there have been
no firm developments for over a year now, with the company instead focusing on
the Good Omens TV show. This may re-enter development once that project is
completed.
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman
Based on The Forever War (1974) • Film • In development at
Warner Brothers
The Forever War is widely regarded as one of the greatest SF novels ever
written, a story about a war being fought so far away that, due to relativistic
effects, centuries have passed on Earth in the meantime. Joe Haldeman's
allegory about the Vietnam War and the pointlessness of conflict remains
powerful. After years in development hell, with Ridley Scott nearly coming on
board before backing off to make Prometheus, the film rights were won by
Warner Brothers. Warners have been fast-tracking the film and are trying to woo
the attention of an undisclosed big-name director. Channing Tatum is attached
to star in the film, a controversial choice before his well-received role
in Foxcatcher suggested he was capable of handling more challenging
material. Tatum's busy schedule has resulted in some delays to the project.
Foundation by Isaac Asimov
Based on The Foundation Saga (1950-92) • TV Series • In
development at HBO and Skydance Television
HBO previously optioned the rights to the seven novels in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series.
Set 22,000 years in the future, the series chronicles the collapse of the vast
Galactic Empire and its descent into barbarism. It falls to a scientific
community, the Foundation, to help guide humanity through the chaos to the rise
of a new golden age centuries hence. To help them achieve this, the scientist
Hari Seldon has developed a statistical system called
"psychohistory", which allows them to predict the future based on the
mass movements of people. However, the system is unable to predict the rise of
powerful, unexpected individuals with the ability to command the loyalty of
billions. When such a warlord arises, the Foundation is threatened as never
before.
This planned adaptation has some heavyweight firepower behind it, with Jonathan
Nolan (brother of Christopher) leading the project and HBO reportedly hoping
this series will do for them and SF what Game of Thrones has done for
epic fantasy. However, HBO has not commented on the project for over two years,
suggesting it's on the backburner whilst Nolan focuses his time and energy on the highly successful Westworld. HBO spent a fortune to buy the rights from
Sony (where Roland Emmerich was attached to direct), so it seemed unlikely
they'll let it languish away and go to another studio like they've done with so
many recent projects (they've lost Dark Tower, American Gods and Preacher to
Sony, Starz and AMC respectively, and may rue all three before long), but
Skydance Television has recently expressed an interest in buying the rights to
develop elsewhere, with David Goyer potentially attached to write.
Gateway by Frederik Pohl
Based on Gateway (1975) • TV series • In development at
SyFy
Frederik Pohl's classic SF novel about alien contact and exploitation has been
optioned by David Eick, who helped bring Battlestar Galactica back to
the screeen. It was optioned at the same time as The Expanse and Childhood's
End, which have both already aired, so this looks to have been moved to the
backburner for now.
Horrorstör by Grady Hendrix
Based on Horrorstör (2014) • TV series • In development at
Fox
Five employees at the ORSK furniture superstore decide to camp overnight in the
store to find out who or what is damaging the place overnight. Shenanigans
ensue. Fox snapped up the rights in 2015 but has yet to move forward with it.
The House With a Clock in its Walls by Jonathan
Bellairs
Based on The House with a Clock in its Walls (1973) •
Film • In development at Mythology Entertainment
Mythology started developing a movie series about warlock Jonathan Barnavelt
and his nephew four years ago alongside Supernatural'sEric Kripke.
Kripke's commitment to several other TV shows (including a new project
called Time) is probably what's resulted in this being moved onto the
backburner.
Hyperion by Dan Simmons
Based on The Hyperion Cantos (1989-90) • TV mini-series •
In development at SyFy
Actor and producer Bradley Cooper (yes, that one) has been trying to
get this made for years and finally gave up on a film series. It's now in
development at SyFy instead, who are eyeing an event mini-series based on Hyperion and The
Fall of Hyperion (the Endymion sequel novels seem to have been left
out, at least for now). The series, a far-future take on The Canterbury
Tales, charts the journey of several pilgrims to the planet Hyperion where they
plan to confront the Shrike, an enigmatic, bizarre alien entity. In the
background, galactic war threatens.
These are two undisputed classics of the SF genre and an adaptation is
certainly way past times, but the books explore bizarre themes, have some weird
obsessions (like the poet Keats turning up as an android) and structural tics
that will make turning them into a compelling TV series interesting.
In the Lost Lands by George R.R. Martin
Based on "In the Lost Lands", "Bitterblooms" and "The
Lonely Songs of Laren Dorr" • Film • In development at Myriad
Pictures
Myriad Pictures have optioned three short stories by George R.R. Martin and are
planning to combine them into one movie. Milla Jovovich has already been tapped
to play Gray Alys and Justin Chatwin is also likely to star. However,
there has been no word on the project in two and a half years.
Lazarusby Greg Rucka
Based on Lazarus (2013-present) • TV series • In development at Amazon
Greg Rucka's cult comic book series, featuring powerful warriors fighting on behalf of the ruling families of a dystopian future Earth, is in the works at Amazon.
Lock In by John Scalzi
Based on Lock In (2014) • TV Series • In development at
Legendary Television
John Scalzi is one of the most prominent SF authors around at the moment, and
unsurprisingly he has several books in development. The premise of Lock
In is that five million people suffer from a virus which paralyses them,
but leaves their intellects intact. When one of the paralysed is murdered, an
investigation is launched.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Based on The Lord of the Rings (1954-55) • TV Series • In development
at Warner Brothers, Amazon interested
Warner Brothers are developing a multi-season TV adaptation
of Tolkien’s famous novel, effectively remaking Peter Jackson’s epic movie
trilogy from 2001-03. This has led to a baffled reaction by both fans and
Hollywood insiders, especially given WB’s immense asking fee ($250 million for limited
rights with a guaranteed budget of $100-$150 million per season) and the
critical failure of the Hobbit movie trilogy. Nevertheless, Amazon is very
interesting in the project, with Jeff Bezos personally leading negotiations.
Luna by Ian McDonald
Based on Luna: New Moon (2015) • TV Series • In development
at CBS
CBS, somewhat surprisingly, won a fierce bidding war for this novel (the first
of a duology) last year before it was even published. The book features five
powerful families battling for control of resources on the Moon some 100 years
in the future. The almost inevitable tagline will be, "Game of Thrones on
the Moon". Given the money CBS shelled out, it's likely that this will
move forwards further. This is also a great deal for McDonald, the
much-acclaimed Northern Irish author of numerous hard SF novels (such as River
of Gods, itself optioned in the past). The future of this project may be
related to how Star Trek: Discovery does on CBS All Access, as this could make
a solid companion series or a show to air in Star Trek’s off-period.
MaddAddam by Margaret Atwood
Based on the MaddAddam trilogy (2003-13) • TV Series • In
development at HBO
The author who once angrily rejected being an SF writer because her books
didn't feature any "talking squids" has been rehabilitated in recent
years, particularly through public debates with authors such as Ursula K. Le
Guin on the merits and limitations of genre fiction. She now seems more
comfortable with the label, which is handy as producer (and possibly director)
Darren Aronofsky is developing a TV series with HBO based on the
post-apocalyptic novels Oryx and Crake, The Year of the Flood and MaddAddam,
which are set in a world where most of humanity has been wiped out by a
pandemic and the survivors struggle to find meaning and purpose. HBO seemed to move
the project onto the backburner, but there may now be progress given the
success of other Attwood adaptations The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace.
Magic Kingom of Landover by Terry Brooks
Based on the Magic Kingdom of Landover series (1986-2009) • Film
series • In development at Warner Brothers
With Shannara doing well for MTV, Warner Brothers have optioned and
developed Terry Brooks's other big fantasy series, this one more of a comedy.
Several writers have taken a stab at a script, but the project has stepped up a
notch since Steve Carell was attached to produce and possibly star as the
hapless American everyguy who inadvertently buys an entire magical kingdom.
There are six books in the series, so there is plenty of sequel potential. The project has been on hiatus for a couple of years due to Carell's other commitments.
Mistborn & Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson
Based on the Mistborn novels (2006-present) and Stormlight Archive series
(2010-present) • Film • Optioned by DMG Entertainment
After Patrick Rothfuss, Brandon Sanderson is the biggest new epic fantasy
author of the last decade, so it's unsurprising that his works have picked up
the interest of Hollywood. Paloppa Pictures spent several years developing a
film series based on Sanderson's first Mistborn trilogy, but this option
expired in 2014. Since then, and with Sanderson's success vastly greater than
during the previous option, DMG Entertainment picked up the rights to his
entire Cosmere mega-series. F. Scott Frazier is writing the script for Mistborn:
The Final Empire, whilst Patrick Melton and Marcus Dunstan are writing the
script for The Stormlight Archive: The Way of Kings. DMG are looking for an
American production partner for the series.
The Morgaine Cycle by C.J. Cherryh
Based on The Morgaine Cycle (1976-88) • Film • In
development
Producer Aaron Magnani and scripwriter Peter Arneson are independently
developing a multi-film franchise based on C.J. Cherryh's four-novel series
about a time-travelling heroine which mixes hard SF with elements of sword and
sorcery. It's an interesting idea, if a slightly baffling choice of project
given Cherryh's enormous number of much more well-known works, such as Cyteen, Downbelow
Station or the lengthy Foreigner saga. There's been no news on this project in several years and it may be more aspirational than realistic.
Otherland by Tad Williams
Based on the Otherland quartet (1996-2001) • Film • In
development at Warner Brothers
Warner Brothers optioned the Otherland SF/fantasy hybrid series back
in 2012 as a potential movie franchise, but has not moved forwards with the
project so far. It's possible that the length of the series may have them
rethinking their options, but Tad Williams recently confirmed that there is interest in continuing the project (unlike Memory, Sorrow and Thorn, which is not under option at present).
Red Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson
Based on The Mars Trilogy (1993-96) • TV Series • Optioned by Spike TV
With The Martian finally proving that it is possible to make a successful, hit movie about the Red Planet, Spike TV fast-tracked their TV adaptation of Kim Stanley Robinson'sMars Trilogy. Spanning 200 years, the books chronicle the colonisation of Mars, its industrial exploitation and terraforming, and the dumping of millions of refugees in a futile attempt to relieve Earth's burgeoning overpopulation as the melting Antarctic ice cap threatens to swamp the planet. This leads to tensions and an attempted revolution that goes badly wrong. Spike TV is an unusual choice for this project, but, excitingly, they tapped American SF scriptwriter J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Crusade,Jeremiah, Sense8) to adapt the novel. Straczynski previously developed a long, political subplot about Mars as part of Babylon 5, so is familiar with the Red Planet. Unfortunately, Straczynski departed the project to focus onSense8and it seems to have stalled as a result. WithSense8 drawing to a close, perhaps Straczynski will return or a new producer will step up.
Red Rising by Pierce Brown
Based on the Red Rising Trilogy (2014-16) • Film • In
development at Universal
Universal are looking at a potential franchise based on Pierce Brown's Red
Rising novels (an initial trilogy and a future planned sequel trilogy)
which are set on a dystopian, future Mars colony. Marc Forster is in talks to
direct.
Ringworld by Larry Niven
Based on Ringworld (1970) • TV Series • In development at Amazon
The first novel in Larry Niven's Ringworld series of novels has been optioned by Amazon.
Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch
Based on the Peter Grant series (2011-present) • TV
Series • In development at Feel Films
The Peter Grant magical detective series was optioned by Feel Films
in 2013, with some talk of the books being made into a TV series for the BBC.
However, the BBC faced subsequent budget cuts. Feel did co-produce the Jonathan
Strange & Mr. Norrell mini-series for the BBC, so it's possible this series
may move ahead given the success of that project.
Robopocalypse by Daniel H. Wilson
Based on Robopocalypse (2011) • Film • In development
by Steven Spielberg
This novel about the robot uprising/Singularity has been an enormous success
and Spielberg has been working on it for a long time now. However, he keeps
pushing it back to worth on other things (most recently Ready Player One).
Apparently the plan is for this to still happen, but it's on the backburner for
a while.
Sandman by Neil Gaiman
Based on the Sandman comic series (1987-96) • Film • In
development at Warner Brothers
Given that apparently everything ever written by Neil Gaiman is currently in
development, it's unsurprising to see the work that brought him to
international acclaim has also been optioned. Warner Brothers are planning a
series of films based on the graphic novels. David Goyer is still attached to
write. However, producer and potentiall star Joseph Gordon-Levitt has quit,
along with writer Jack Thorne, citing differences between their vision for the
films – which would have reflected the somewhat more thoughtful and intelligent tone of the graphic novels – and the studios’s
insistence on action and special effects. The project now seems to be on the backburner whilst Warner Brothers look for an alternative team to take over.
Seveneves by Neal Stephenson
Based on Seveneves (2015) • Film • In development at Skydance
The same team behind Apollo 13 - director Ron Howard, writer Bill Broyles and producer Brian Grazer - are working on an adaptation of the Neal Stephenson novel. The project is on the back burner whilst Ron Howard finishes off the Star Wars movie Solo, and develops two movies based on the work of JP Delaney (The Girl Before and The Perfect Wife).
The Skin Trade by George R.R. Martin
Based on The Skin Trade (1989) • TV Series • In development
at Cinemax
Given the enormous success of Game of Thrones, it's unsurprising the rest
of George R.R. Martin's oeuvre has been raided for ideas. Cinemax ordered a
pilot based on this World Fantasy Award-winning novella about a private
detective pulled into the shadowy underworld of werewolves in contemporary
America. Martin once planned a whole series of stories set in this world, so
there's certainly scope for more adventures beyond the original novella.
However, there has been no movement on the project in two years.
Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
Based on Snow Crash (1991) • TV Series • In development at Amazon
Neal Stephenson's whimsical cyberpunk fable about Hiro Protagonist has been optioned by Amazon with a view to turning it into a TV show, although it's unclear if this will be an ongoing series or just a mini-series adapting the book. Spin by Rober Charles Wilson
Based on The Spin Trilogy (2005-11) • TV mini-series • In
development at SyFy
The Spin Trilogy (inevitably and affectionately also known as The
Spin Cycle) sees the Earth enveloped by an energy field that speeds up time in
the outside universe: for every second that passes on Earth, three years pass
in the exterior universe. This allows humanity to do some incredible things,
like remotely terraforming Mars in a few months, but also threatens the planet
with destruction, as the Sun's lifespan is now only measured in decades rather
than billions of years. It's a high concept idea. SyFy was developing an
adaptation of the first novel, Spin, as an event mini-series but it looks
like it's been pushed onto the backburner for now.
The Stand by Stephen King
Based on The Stand (1978) • TV Series and Film • In
development at Warner Brothers
The Stand is widely regarded as Stephen King's best novel, as well as his
most famous. It depicts the collapse of civilisation after a
"superflu" virus wipes out most of the human race. The survivors are
divided into forces of good and evil who are then brought together for a final
confrontation to determine the fate of the human race. As well as an epic story
in its own right, The Stand dovetails into the Dark Tower series
of novels, where it is presented as an alternative reality version of the
"normal" Stephen King universe. ABC aired a mini-series based on the
novel in 1994 starring Gary Sinise and Molly Ringwald. Warner Brothers has been
developing this project for years, going from one massive three-hour movie to a
trilogy to four separate films. The idea currently floating is for an
eight-part mini-series which will lead into a feature film (directed by Josh
Boone) to conclude the story. Matthew McConaughey was being considered for the
role of Stu Redman, with Christian Bale being touted as Randall Flagg. However,
until it is formally greenlit the project remains in gestation. Boone has
recently been looking at adapting King's more modest, short novel Revival in
the meantime. The massive success of It and the failure of The Dark Tower movie seems to have
caused confusion on how to handle future Stephen King adaptations.
Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert Heinlein
Based on Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) • TV
Series • In development at SyFy
SyFy picked up the rights to the Heinlein novel last autumn
and are developing a TV project with Mythology Entertainment, Scott Rudin
Productions and Vecchio Entertainment. Julia Gunn is attached as a producer.
The head of NBC Cable (which owns SyFy), Bonnie Hammer, has taken a personal
interest in the project as the novel is one of her favourites of all time.
Temeraire by Naomi Novik
Based on the Temeraire series (2006-16) • Film or TV
Series • In development by Peter Jackson
Peter Jackson optioned Naomi Novik's Temeraire novels - featuring an
alternate history Napoleonic Wars fought with dragons - shortly after the first
three were published in 2006. Jackson had planned to film them himself, but
these plans were interrupted when he had to work on the Hobbit trilogy
(and its own dragon) instead. More recently Jackson has supported switching the
adaptation to a TV series, to make sure all nine novels are adapted faithfully.
Time Salvager by Wesley Chu
Based on the Time Trilogy (2015-16) • Film • In development by
Michael Bay
Michael Bay had put this on the backburner for a while, but just last month it
was confirmed that he would start working on the adaptation in 2018 for a likely
2019 or 2020 release.
Uprooted by Naomi Novik
Based on Uprooted (2015) • Film • In development by Ellen
DeGeneres and Warner Brothers
Novik's Temeraire series may be more high-concept, but her recent
novel Uprooted garnered immense critical acclaim upon release and is now
being developed at Warner Brothers, with talk show host and actress Ellen
DeGeneres producing. There has been a lack of recent news on the project.
Vicious by V.E. Schwab
Based on Vicious (2013) • Film • In development at Scott
Free
V.E. Schwab's 2013 stand-alone novel, about rival college students who develop
superpowers, is still under development at Ridley Scott's film company. Alexander Felix has written a script, but the project has not moved forwards so far.
The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell
Based on The Warlord Chronicles (1995-97) • TV Series • In
development by Bad Wolf Productions
Cornwell's gritty, realistic take on the legend of Arthur is the best thing
he's ever written, featuring epic battles, personal betrayals and a clash of
religion and culture playing out in the ashes of the fallen Roman province of
Britannia. Although only marginally fantasy, it's a hugely popular series
amongst genre readers. Bad Wolf Productions have optioned the series,
potentially for development either with the BBC or HBO (or both).
The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)
Based on The Wheel of Time (1990-2013) • TV Series • Optioned
by Sony Television
The biggest-selling work of epic fantasy since The Lord of the Rings, it's
somewhat mind-boggling that this series hasn't already been made, let alone
seriously developed. NBC held an option at the turn of the century and
Universal Pictures developed a movie script a few years ago, but ran into
structural issues with getting the entire 14-volume story into a reasonable
number of movies. Jordan himself rejected a proposed anime project
from a Japanese studio in the early 2000s, as they only wanted to adapt the
first three books and round the story off there. Red Eagle Productions has held
the film and TV rights since 2004, but Jordan was unhappy with their progress.
The film and TV rights reverted to the Jordan Estate a year ago, but Red Eagle
self-produced an infomercial based on the opening prologue to The Eye of
the World (the first novel in the series) in an attempt to forestall this.
Legal action resulted, with Red Eagle retaining a production credit on future
projects.
Sony Television Pictures (the company behind Breaking Bad and Better
Call Saul) have picked up the television rights. Given their pre-existing
relationship with AMC (who would likely love to have a potential Game of
Thrones-beater on their hands), it's possible that we could see a Wheel of
Time TV series taking shape through that partnership. However, others have
suggested Amazon or Netflix as a more logical home for a massive, ambitious
project that will take serious commitment and budget to see through to its end.
Rafe Judkins will write and produce.
Who Fears Death by Nnedi Okorafor
Based on Who Fears Death (2010) • TV Series • Pilot greenlit at HBO
George R.R. Martin brought the attention of HBO to bear on Nnedi Okorafor's hard-hitting novel set in post-apocalyptic Sudan, who are now developing the project with Selwyn Seyfu Hinds as writer.
Wild Cards by George R.R. Martin, Melinda Snodgress
& many others
Based on Wild Cards (1987-present) • TV Series or Film •
Previously optioned by SyFy
Long before he wrote A Game of Thrones, George R.R. Martin was best known
for creating the shared-world superhero series known as Wild Cards. Along
with other authors - two dozen of them at last count - he developed a series of
anthologies. The twenty-third anthology in the series comes out this
year. Wild Cards is set in an alternate timeline where an alien race
attacked New York City with a virus in 1947. This virus killed 90% of the
people it infected, turned another 9% into mutated freaks and 1% into
superheroes. An alternate history of the 20th Century unfolds in light of this
development. Writers for the series have included Melinda Snodgrass (herself a
veteran of television), Paul Cornell, David Anthony Durham, Pat Cadigan, Chris
Claremont and Roger Zelazny.
SyFy previously optioned Wild Cards as a series of movies, but the
people at SyFy keen on the project subsequently left. The rights were allowed to lapse, but, surprisingly, SyFy re-optioned them as an ongoing television series, with Melinda Snodgrass involved in writing and producing.
Y: The Last Man by Bryan Vaughan
Based on Y: The Last Man (2002-08) • TV Series • In
development at FX
Bryan Vaughan has hit it big in television, working on shows such as Lost and Under
the Dome, but his origins were in comics, particularly the crazy space opera Saga and
the classic Y: The Last Man. Saga is unlikely ever to be adapted
(with Vaughan apparently refusing to sell the rights), but Y: The Last Man is
being developed at FX by Nina Jacobson, the producer of the Hunger Games movies.
The comic is set in a world where all male mammals have been wiped out apart
from one man and one monkey. They find themselves trying to survive in a world
where they are a prize and a target.
Thank you for reading The Wertzone. To help me provide better content, please consider contributing to my Patreon page and other funding methods, which will also get you exclusive content weeks before it goes live on my blogs. The Cities of Fantasy series is debuting on my Patreon feed and you can read it there one month before being published on the Wertzone.
Showtime have confirmed they are developing a prequel television series to Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle novel trilogy. Lionsgate undertook a complex multimedia option on the series a couple of years ago, but picked up momentum a few months back when Lin-Manuel Miranda (Hamilton) was attached as a producer and musical director.
The plan seems to be for writer Lindsey Beer to adapt the three novels - The Name of the Wind (2007), The Wise Man's Fear (2011) and the still-unpublished The Doors of Stone (forthcoming, still) - as big-budget motion pictures, with a TV series intersecting the events of the novels but focusing on other elements of the story to be produced by John Rogers (Leverage). Miranda will produce and work on songs and other elements for both projects.
It sounds like the TV show will, at least initially, take the form of a prequel set a generation before the events of The Name of the Wind and will follow other characters through the world of Temerant. This plan gives Rothfuss additional time to complete the much-delayed third and concluding novel in the trilogy and reduces the chances of the adaptation running out of source material before it's done (as recently experienced by Game of Thrones).
The plan also encompasses video games, but no announcements have been made with regard to this part of the franchise.
Lin-Manuel Miranda has gained recent fame as the creator, writer, songwriter and star of hit Broadway musical Hamilton, based on the life of Alexander Hamilton, one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. His next project will be epic fantasy, with him tapped to work on on Lionsgate's multimedia Kingkiller Chronicle project.
Lionsgate bought the film, TV and video game rights to Patrick Rothfuss's fantasy trilogy, The Kingkiller Chronicle, a year ago. Their plan was to directly adapt the novels as a trilogy of movies, as well as using a TV show to explode side-stories and characters. Apparently they are also considering a stage show based on the trilogy.
Lindsey Beer is writing the script for the first movie, based on The Name of the Wind, and Miranda has been hired to write original songs and work on the soundtrack. Those familiar with the novels will now that the main character Kvothe is an accomplished musician and songwriter, so this is a surprisingly good match. Rothfuss will also be working on the film and TV show as a producer, with Miranda likely to serve as a musical director on the TV project as well.
The Kingkiller Chronicle consists of the novels The Name of the Wind (2007) and The Wise Man's Fear (2011). Together they have sold over 10 million copies, making Rothfuss the biggest-selling debut fantasy author of the century so far. The much-delayed third volume, The Doors of Stone, is expected in 2018. Rothfuss's writing will next be seen in the video game Torment: Tides of Numenera, due early next year from inXile Entertainment.
