Read It Before They Screen It: Cosmopolis, The Rats of NIMH, and King Kong Lives (Again?)
Posted by Chris Bolton, July 30, 2009 1:19 pm
4 Comments
Filed under: Book to Film.
Perhaps only a filmmaker as distinctive as David Cronenberg could bring Don DeLillo to the screen.
Then again, perhaps no one can.
We may soon find out, as the director of Crash (based on the J. G. Ballard novel) and Eastern Promises embarks on an adaptation of DeLillo's Cosmopolis.
Cronenberg will helm and also adapt the 2003 novel for the screen. Story follows a 28-year-old multimillionaire on a 24-hour odyssey across Manhattan. Considered one of America's leading novelists, DeLillo's most acclaimed works include "White Noise" and "Underworld."
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There may be a new version of Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH headed to screens if Paramount Pictures has its way.
Project's based on Robert C. O'Brien's 1971 book about a widowed field mouse who enlists escaped lab rats to help her prevent the destruction of her home by a farmer's plow.
MGM adapted the book in 1982 as animated feature "The Secret of NIMH," directed by Don Bluth. Paramount hasn't indicated whether the new version will be live action, animated or a combination.
Are you looking forward to another adaptation (perhaps more faithful) to the book, or is Paramount desecrating a beloved '80s animated classic?
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Might King Kong climb his way onto the big screen yet again?
Production entity Spirit Pictures is interested in adapting the book Kong: King of Skull Island, a prequel to the film.
(Which film isn't entirely clear, but I think we can safely assume either the 1933 original or Peter Jackson's 2005 remake — no cheesy '70s robo-ape, please.)
Penned by Joe DeVito and Brad Strickland, book focuses on the backstory of Skull Island and how the giant gorilla became king there. It introduces other giant gorillas and dinosaurs only hinted at in the previous films.
[...] The plan is to produce the film using motion-capture technology such as Robert Zemeckis used to make The Polar Express, Beowulf, and the upcoming "A Christmas Carol." Spirit's own facility would produce the CG work.
Considering the book originated as a Ray Harryhausen project, I think stop-motion animation should be the way to go. Check out the recent film of Coraline to see it done right!
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Chris Bolton co-created the all-ages webcomic Smash, which will soon be published by Candlewick Press, and created the comedy series Wage Slaves. His short story "The Red Room" was published in Portland Noir from Akashic Books.
Books mentioned in this post
Being the big baby that I can be, I am holding my breath, stomping my foot (not to mention typing) until they say they will NOT remake my favorite childhood book into a movie....again!!
Now, Portland Noir...THAT is a movie I would go see!!!
If it has animated rats, Denise, I'd see it, too.
Wouldn't everyone?