Fantasy used to be a genre that seemed to be either ignored or even maligned by Hollywood. Movies in the genre were comparatively rare, partly because of the difficulty with their heavy reliance on special effects, and partly because the reception of the films usually led to them being cult classics at best. Adaptations of fantasy novels (and especially series), therefore, were scarcer still, as Hollywood was reluctant to license a work that might not sell well enough to justify the cost of acquiring the rights.
However, that has changed in recent decades. With the massive successes of The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, Hollywood now seems to be eager to adapt fantasy to films. So, being reasonably well-read in the genre, I have compiled a list of what I feel are the top fantasy series that have yet to be brought to the big screen.
There are, of course, a few caveats and rules in play. First, although my preferences have a heavy influence, it isn’t the only factor; popularity of the series, and its chances of actually happening are also considered. For example, though I love the Vlad Taltos novels by Steven Brust, the anachronic order could be a significant deterrent to Hollywood, at least while the novels are still ongoing; the episodic nature would make any individual book easy to adapt, but adapting the series would require either sorting them out (tricky while it’s unfinished) or having an actor whose age can reverse between films (thus greatly increasing the need for special effects). Secondly, I’m only looking at series, not individual novels (though of course, Hollywood may not want to adapt every book in a series). Third, when considering whether a series is “unfilmed”, I’m only looking at whether it has a theatrical release or not. Direct-to-video and TV movies do not count. Animated films count if and only if they’ve been released theatrically. Of course, TV adaptations do factor into the prognosis; A Song of Ice and Fire is certainly unfilmed by this definition, but it’s questionable whether the fans would really be clamoring for a film given the success of Game of Thrones as a TV series. And fourth, I had to have at least some familiarity with the series. While I’ve read a lot of fantasy novels, there’s always going to be something I haven’t read. If I’ve left off one of your favorites, it may simply be I haven’t gotten to it yet. Of course, some of the entries are ones I’ve only read a few novels in.
Those were the rules for the list; now, the list itself.
#10: The Belgariad
Author: David Eddings
Synopsis: In a world with several gods, one of them went mad long ago and was sealed away to protect the world. Now the mad god is breaking free, and a boy learns that prophecies state that he will be the one to slay the mad god. Guided by his ancestors, two of the most powerful sorcerers to ever live, he goes on a quest to acquire a mystic orb that is supposed to aid him in his quest.
Thoughts: The story, it has to be said, is not one of the more inventive ones in fantasy. But the series has had an enduring popularity due to a few factors. First, it’s written at the young adult level; neither too simplistic for teenagers nor excessively complex or difficult to read. Given that Hollywood enjoys targeting people in their late teens and early twenties with this genre, it’s not hard to see the appeal to them there. Secondly, while the story isn’t very original, the characters themselves are highly entertaining. Belgarath the sorcerer and Silk the assassin would be very popular among theatre audiences. I could see this happening, although if Hollywood has sense, they’ll avoid the largely-repetitive sequel series.
#9: Dragonlance
Authors: Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Synopsis: A diverse group of adventuring heroes reunites to regale each other with stories of their quests. However, one of their number is missing, sending only a mysterious note. The group reforms to seek her out as different nations and religious factions start to make war. Their quest quickly takes on global significance as they find themselves seeking an object of great magical significance.
Thoughts: I apologize if my synopsis is a bit vague or incorrect; it’s been close to 25 years since I’ve read the trilogy. What brings it to mind is that Hasbro and Warner Brothers have been feuding lately over the idea of a relaunch of Dungeons and Dragons as a film franchise. The previous D&D films were poorly written and didn’t have a lot of complexity to them — nor much resemblance to the sprawling stories that dedicated D&D players can create with their roleplaying. However, Dragonlance is a series created as a setting for D&D. They essentially have a story they could adapt easily for their purposes, so it’s somewhat surprising they haven’t done so (although there was a direct-to-video animated version of the first novel; still, as noted above, that doesn’t count for this list, especially as it was by no means as well-publicized as a theatrical film). Perhaps of particular note is that with a playful halfling, noble and heroic human and half-elf warriors, a cynical mage, and more in the party, there’s a character for everyone in the audience to latch onto. If one studio or another is going to do a Dungeons and Dragons film franchise, this is the direction they should look.
#8: The Wheel of Time
Author: Robert Jordan (and Brandon Sanderson)
Synopsis: A young man learns that he is the reincarnation of the man who locked the Dark One away but devastated the world in the process, and that he is destined to face the same fate. He must come to terms with his magical powers, the politics of the world, and his own impending insanity. Meanwhile, his friends and allies have their own deeds to accomplish before the Last Battle comes.
Thoughts: I read and reviewed all the books in the series on this blog, so regular readers already know a lot of my thoughts on the series. An overview is here for those who want it. Because it’s such a major series, it essentially demands to be mentioned on any such list… but I have to say the chances for it actually getting a film adaptation as a series are pretty slim. Not counting the prequel, there are 14 books in the series, and it’s an ongoing story, not a discrete set of episodes. It’s simply too much, especially given that the books are each the size of novels that Hollywood has taken to splitting into films (such as the final Harry Potter volume). 14 films would be highly questionable; 28 is inconceivable.
However, a series adaptation isn’t totally impossible. It’s just that fans would have to be willing to accept the abridged version. If all the fat is trimmed out, it might be possible to get it down to seven films. It would mean some subplots would have to be lost and others simplified, but there’s an ample amount of storylines would don’t do much to serve the overall story anyway, or which simply go on too long. On any other series, this amount of trimming would be a hatchet job — but this series could probably survive it, and quite possibly could even come off better for it. If nothing else, skipping the entirety of Crossroads of Twilight would be a mercy.
#7: Shannara
Author: Terry Brooks
Synopsis: When the Warlock Lord resurfaces, the Druid Allanon seeks out the last descendant of Jerle Shannara, the only person who can find and wield the fabled Sword of Shannara — the one weapon which is known to be able to defeat the Warlock Lord.
Thoughts: The Shannara series, particularly The Sword of Shannara, is (rightly) criticized a lot for closely paralleling The Lord of the Rings. But that’s not to say it isn’t entertaining, and it’s certainly popular — just doing a bit of research here, it was the first fantasy paperback to appear on the New York Times bestseller list. The series has only grown more and more sprawling as time goes on. Since the resemblance to its inspiration is merely close, not exact — and Hollywood is not overly concerned with originality anyway — there’s certainly room for it in Hollywood’s pantheon of fantasy films. And in this case, it’s looking like a definite possibility. IMDB lists The Sword of Shannara as currently in development — though this may be a TV series rather than a film. Although IMDB isn’t listing it such, Terry Brooks’ website mentions it being picked up as a series. Of course, that news is several months old, and things can change.
The website also mentions (and IMDb similarly lists) that the first novel in Brooks’ Landover series is being adapted to film — reportedly with Steve Carell to star. In the first novel, Magic Kingdom for Sale, a man from our world buys a fairy-tale kingdom through a classified ad and has to adjust to his new home and responsibilities as king. Personally, I always enjoyed Landover more than Shannara, and felt it was more inventive, but there’s no question which of the two is more popular overall.
#6: Discworld
Author: Terry Pratchett
Synopsis: Set on a flat world where common sense need not apply, Discworld is a comedic fantasy series with numerous different characters and storylines. There’s Rincewind the Wizzard whose inability to spell is exceeded only by his inability to cast spells, Granny Weatherwax the most fearsome and pragmatic witch in the mountains, Commander Vimes of the City Watch and, of course, Death… who has taken a confused liking to humanity.
Thoughts: Normally, a series being as long as Discworld would lower it’s chances, but the episodic nature of the books means that people who want to film adaptations are really spoiled for choice here. It’s possible to cherry-pick the more adaptable ones, and the others won’t affect things by their absence. And since the books generally don’t require that the reader be familiar with previous novels, the films could have the same trait. There have been several TV adaptations of the series in its native United Kingdom, but so far attempts for a theatrical release have fallen flat. This is at least partly due to executives simply not getting it, such as one incident Pratchett has related where it was suggested that Mort (about a boy who becomes Death’s apprentice) would make a great film “if it lost the death angle”. Still, if a producer with a brain makes the right approach, it’s conceivable the comic fantasy series could be seen on the big screen.
#5: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn
Author: Tad Williams
Synopsis: A generation ago, King Prester John united his continent into a single nation. But with his passing, his sons fall into feuding and a civil war breaks out. With the Sithi King Ineluki seeking to reenter the world, one of the sons makes an alliance with the supernatural being to seal his rule. An orphan kitchen boy, seeking merely to survive, flees the castle and finds himself getting drawn into a quest to defeat Ineluki.
Thoughts: Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn would probably adapt very well to film. It has a plot that looks simple at first glance, but becomes more complex as it goes on, with twists and curves that will surprise an audience. And it maintains a sense of epic grandeur while not putting a great strain on a special effects budget. Plus, the series has a format that’s practically tailor-made for how Hollywood seems to like adapting series nowadays: it was released as a trilogy, but the third book was long enough that it was split into two for paperbacks. It is easy to picture Hollywood putting out films of The Dragonbone Chair, Stone of Farewell, and To Green Angel Tower Parts 1 & 2.
#4: Elric of Melniboné
Author: Michael Moorcock
Synopsis: Elric is the King of Melniboné. He is also frail, sickly, and an albino. Filled with loathing of the traditions of his people — which he feels has led to their stagnation — he is unpopular and his rule is threatened by his cousin, the heir to the throne. In order to preserve his rule and his people he resorts to extreme measures, including sorcery and pacts with dangerous beings. None of them are more dangerous than the very sword he wields, a sentient black blade called Stormbringer, which drinks men’s souls and wants nothing more than to bring about the destruction of all Elric holds dear.
Thoughts: Supposedly directors Chris and Paul Weitz were once planning on bringing this to film, but the news on that was from 2007. We can probably assume it isn’t happening. But as one of the more influential works in the genre, there’s little doubt that there will be another attempt at some point. The story of Elric is an exceptionally dark one, but in this day and age, that isn’t necessarily a deterrent to Hollywood — all it means is that it would stand out some against other fantasy series, which have their dark moments but are ultimately more optimistic.
#3: The Dresden Files
Author: Jim Butcher
Synopsis: If you want to find Harry Dresden, just pick up the Yellow Pages and turn to W, for “Wizard”. The only openly-practicing wizard in modern Chicago, Harry operates as a paranormal private eye, solving strange cases for clients and assisting the police when they have to face the unexplainable. Harry has to deal with both supernatural threats and organized crime, as well as the White Council of Wizards he’s a member of. The Council has laws of its own, and Harry is under constant threat of a death sentence should he ever again break one of the laws…
Thoughts: Not all fantasy has to be medieval. The Dresden Files are urban fantasy, mixing detective story tropes with fairy tales and a large dose of sarcastic humor. It’s a combination that isn’t really seen much in films yet, though TV has dabbled in it a few times. Examples include a one-season series based on The Dresden Files themselves, as well as Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Grimm. But film examples are few and far-between — and generally not well regarded, such as the film version of BtVS or Dylan Dog. A film version of Storm Front and the other novels in the series could be very successful if they’re handled with greater care than those other films. The books are high quality and it’s a film niche that hasn’t been filled yet.
#2: Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser
Author: Fritz Leiber
Synopsis: Fafhrd is a seven-foot-tall barbarian warrior, prone to idealistic views but with a sense of practicality. The Gray Mouser is a diminutive and cynical thief. Together they seek out adventures for both money and a form of entertainment.
Thoughts: The tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser are some of the most influential fantasy stories out there, forming a lot of the classic sword-and-sorcery genre. In fact, to find anything more influential, one has to look to one of its inspirations, the Conan novels — though Leiber stated his purpose was to draw a contrast to Conan with characters who were a bit more grounded. The first stories were written in 1939 and the 1940s, and Leiber continued writing them until the 1980s. As influential as they were, their absence in film remains one of the more glaring omissions in the genre. This is especially true as, although lots of works have been inspired by them, the stories themselves still stand out from the crowd in style and content. The recurring attempts to bring Conan back (with the reboot a little while ago and the upcoming return of Arnold Schwarzenegger to the role) show that Hollywood is still interested in the sword-and-sorcery genre. Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser could work out very well, and deserves a chance to happen. Of course, the recent Conan reboot shows, much like sci-fi sword-and-sandal epic John Carter, that care must be taken to both make a good film and do a good job of marketing.
#1: The Chronicles of Amber
Author: Roger Zelazny
Synopsis: A man awakens in a hospital with no memory. He’s told he was in a car accident, and that he’ll be healing for weeks before he can walk. But his wounds have already healed. He finds he’s stronger than mortal men, and quickly pieces together that his accident was not so accidental. As he tries to recover his memory, he learns he is a prince of Amber, the one true world of which all others — including Earth — are merely shadows. He sets out on a quest to restore his memory, get his revenge, and claim the throne.
Thoughts: There is no fantasy film news that would leave me as excited or concerned as news that somebody was tackling Nine Princes in Amber and its sequels (though news of an adaptation of Zelazny’s other novel Lord of Light would come close). The novels were some of the first fantasy I read, and still rank as the best series. Constantly exciting, there are twists and turns every step of the way — and as anybody who has done a re-read knows, these twists aren’t just thrown in spur of the moment. There are hints and clues setting things up even several novels in advance. If Hollywood approaches these intelligently, it would be easy to adapt them into a great film series. The novels share an overarching plot, but each has a clear beginning and ending, and each novel is relatively small for a fantasy novel (at least by today’s standards). It wouldn’t be necessary to trim anything significant out. The characters have deviously complex motivations, even the protagonist, and it’s not always possible to tell who is on whose side. I would be inclined to think that Hollywood should probably just focus on the original five novels, and not the sequel series, but it’s possible those could be adapted successfully as well, though they’re not quite up to the same quality. But the original five are absolutely a possibility. I’d be worried about the possibility of the studio screwing it up, but I would still love to see the attempt made.
There you have it. Ten fantasy novel series that Hollywood could adapt into films. Anything you think doesn’t belong there? Or something that was left out which should have been included? Or perhaps you think that Game of Thrones doesn’t preclude a film adaptation of the same material after all. Whatever your thoughts, let me know in the comments.
Morgan on Media 
I’ve heard of a couple of these. Certainly Butcher’s Harry Dresden series. What I’d really want to see is someone bringing Frank Herbert’s DUNE to full fruition. The starts and fizzle’s (David Lynch’s interfered with film, SyFy’s series petered out when it was finally getting good) leave me undeterred. Good look at these, Morgan.
If I ever do a list of “sci-fi film franchises warranting a reboot”, Dune will certainly be on there. I haven’t actually seen the 1984 film yet, but I’m well aware that it has its issues.
I think another series that bears mentioning is the Drizzt Do’Urden saga by R. A. Salvatore, it has a pretty big fanbase and several smaller series of books that are each more self-contained while still connected to an overall long-running saga.
Drizzt was on the periphery of my considerations; mostly he didn’t make the cut because I just don’t know enough about the franchise. While there are some series I’ve only read one or two of, that’s one I’ve missed entirely. But you’re definitely right about the fanbase, and that could translate to a lucrative franchise.
The Icewind Dale trilogy was my jumping in point for the series and I still remember it fondly. For years in the BBS era before I hit on Bubbawheat, I was one of the many Wolfgars out there (intentionally misspelled).
BBS… now there’s a flashback… 😀
I’m currently working through the gaps in my genre literature though audible.com and The Chronicles of Amber is next on my list after I finish Asimov’s Foundation series. I know enough about it to agree that in the right hands it could be a great movie series.
I’ll also throw in some Jack Vance work as long deserving of a quality adaptation, either The Dying Earth or the Lyonnesse Trilogy (or both).
I think you’ll love The Chronicles of Amber when you get to it; it’s pretty well-liked among our circle of friends.
I’m going to have to check out Jack Vance to fill in some of my genre gaps. Obviously, it’s a name I’ve heard a lot, though.
I sure wish that Amber will replace Game of Thrones when its done on HBO. One season per book could really really do these books justice.
Although I haven’t heard of #2, I agree with the rest of them. They would make for great movies. (I think WoT could be done in 3 movies without missing much.)
I disagree about TV series though. Not only do series (mini- or regular) rarely bring the oomph!, but their primary purpose is to go on and on…which is contrary to stories like these. I am very into fantasy books and films, but never watch fantasy TV. They always disappoint.
Remember, Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series? It felt like a Disney reject meets Syfy Saturday. Yeuch! Even Game of Thrones got old after the first season. TV just doesn’t have enough impact to do fantasy right.
Otherwise, I like the list and agree with the idea. Hollywood has a lot of potential blockbusters already waiting for them.
This season of Game of Thrones has been the best so far.
I may pick up the series after it’s completed and watch them all back to back. But, for me, something gets lost in the storytelling when you have to wait a week between each episode and then months between each season. It diminishes it somehow.
Going for the hyper-abridged version of WoT! I like it! 😀
I think the oomph! is starting to be brought more regularly with series and miniseries. I’ll grant though that it’s still in its infancy for fantasy, though. And yes, they do have a tendency to go on and on… but I’m not sure that’s entirely contrary to series such as Game of Thrones where the author is putting out one doorstopper after another. Going on and on is what a lot of these guys do.
I didn’t watch the TV adaptation of Sword of Truth, but it wasn’t because of any quality issues with the show… it was more because of fatigue over the book series itself.
Oh, it’s not fantasy “literature” in the classic sense, but an animated adaptation of David Peterson’s Mouse Guard comic book is a no-brainer.
Haven’t read it, but I’m certainly willing to count it as literature, at least for this discussion.
Of course, the idea of an animated Redwall just barely missed the cut here, so there are a few mouse-fantasy stories out there for Hollywood to pick from. Just so long as they don’t flop like Despereaux.
Did Redwall miss the cut because of the TV Series factoring into the prognosis, by chance? I only ask, because I wasn’t even aware of Redwall as a series of books until very recently.
That was one of the factors. It also being very “kiddie” was another.
I have a really hard time reading most fantasy series, I find it takes me forever to adjust to proper nouns. Figuring out what’s a title, what’s a name, what’s a place, and who’s who takes me out of the story, and very few authors handle the setup well enough in the early game for me to get adjusted and immersed.
That’s why I hope all of these get made into a well made show or movie, so that I can watch it, and want to read them.
Great job, as usual.
Thanks, Spike.
I can understand the “proper noun” problem, especially when some authors throw in apostrophes and hyphens like they’re the letter e. A related problem is when they use a fantasy word for some creature and then completely fail to describe the animal. One of my few complaints about the Codex Alera, which I’m reading now, is that it took forever to find out what a “gargant” was. OK, it’s obviously big, some people ride them, and it’s not a horse. It’s hairy and has claws… is it a bear? No, they say it has tusks. Some kind of woolly mammoth? Finally it turns out to be a sort of giant tusked badger.
I think both problems come about because the narration takes the perspective of somebody who already lives in that world and thus already knows what a “gargant” is and that this name refers to a city, so they don’t have a reason to explain things to themselves. A film can definitely cut through all of that by simply showing things.
“A film can definitely cut through all of that by simply showing things.”
If they cast and edit it right, they can. Sometimes, and this happens across all genres, of course, they cast two or three brunettes with similar facial features, and the same drab outfit (or leather tunic if we’re dealing in fantasy) and introduce them interacting with the same one or two characters in scenes far enough apart for you to wonder who’s who, or if they’re the same character.
Drives me nuts. Fresh in my mind, too, because the first episode of Hemlock Grove made the same mistake. The first of many, many mistakes as it turns out.
Yeah, generic casting can be a serious problem with a film. I can remember a few where it was hard to tell who was who, especially among secondary characters.
If Dresden or Discworld get proper film series, I will be very happy.
Dresden lends itself to a series so well, with all the recurring characters and big set-piece action sequences. If they did it right (and that TV series was most definitely not right), it could be a sure-fire money maker.
Discworld would definitely be for more of a niche audience, but if they nailed the humor they could be very popular, I think. I’ve seen the TV adaptation of Color of Magic and I think they did a pretty good job considering it was only for TV.
Also, Stephen King’s Dark Tower. Although because I love that so much I pretty much don’t want them to make a movie, even though it would be a fantastic series if they nailed it. I just have no faith they they could actually do it justice.
Yeah, I think that Dresden would be a shoo-in for box office success if they did it remotely right. I was fortunate enough that I watched the TV series before I read the books, so I was able to enjoy it on its own terms. As a series, it’s not bad at all, but as an adaptation it’s definitely off. But having watched it first, that wasn’t an issue for me and the only side-effect is a lingering tendency to picture Paul Blackthorne when I imagine Harry.
You’re right about Discworld being more niche. But with fantasy becoming more popular in film, I think it’s more possible to do a proper comedy version than it would have been, say, fifteen years ago.
I’ve got to read The Dark Tower one of these days. Heard so many things about it, and of course, King’s a good author whom Hollywood likes to adapt anyway. I understand your feelings about a film, though. It’s kind of how I feel about Amber. It would be fantastic if they did it right, but it would also be very easy to screw it up… and if any of these series got screwed up, the odds of a second chance coming around any time soon are mighty slim.
I think I’m the only person I know who wasn’t wowwed by the Dark Tower when I read it. I’ve only read The Gunslinger, and I didn’t much care for it. Hearing nothing but praise since, I’ve wanted to revisit it now for years, but never get around to it because I’m pretty much already swimming in books I want to get to.
That Dragonlance animated film is so awful. They had a decent voice cast for it, including Kiefer Sutherland as Raistlin. Unfortunately, it’s a mess and terribly adapts the first book. It skips the best scenes and wastes time on the bad ones.
I wonder if studios are still wary after the failure of something like Eragon, which was a popular book. That movie was also not good, and maybe they don’t want to drop a lot of money into a franchise that might not earn its money. Harry Potter and LOTR may be the exceptions at this point.
I was wondering if anybody would chime in on the quality of the DL animated film. I hadn’t seen it, so I wasn’t sure myself. Thanks, Dan. I can see how it could get butchered if they didn’t have a wise script editor.
You might have a point about Eragon as well. Though that film reportedly had issues beyond its source material (which I’ve heard roundly mocked in some corners as well), it might make Hollywood more leery of things. Percy Jackson as well, though apparently they’re moving forward on a second film after all.
Morgan, I have great memories of reading Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser books, The Shannara series and The Dragonlance books. Those books coupled with my obsession with Dungeons and Dragons helped preserve my virginity from trampy harlots in my early teens years. 🙂 Pretty surprising some of these have not been made into films.
Glad to see a vote for Fafhrd; was wondering if that was too old at this point for people to remember. 🙂
Not for me, my beard is turning as grey as Gandalf. 😉
I’d like to see a lot of these. I HIGHLY recommend the two part Discworld BBC version of Color of Magic. I believe it available on Netflix and is pretty damn good.
I started reading Amber and got kind of bogged down. Not sure what it was but I will go back and finish it at some point.
One not mentioned that’s sci fi/fantasy that I would love to see is Piers Anthony’s Incarnations series. To me, it’s one any fan of either genre should read.
I’ve heard that the BBC’s Discworld adaptations are good; I’ve only seen Hogfather though.
I’d obviously recommend giving Amber another try. Hopefully whatever threw you last time won’t a second.
Incarnations of Immortality, like all of Piers Anthony’s work, is a mixed bag for me. There are some good books in it, especially early on, but it’s very uneven, and it just gets worse as it goes on.
One massively glaring omission here is ‘Magician’ by Raymond Feist. This was the book that got me into reading fantasy and sci-fi in the first place. They could probably make the book into two films.
I haven’t actually read any of the Riftwar series yet. I’ll be sure to give it a look.
I know this is a late note but I felt that a further endorsment of the Riftwar Saga was merited. The opening is basic but the story quickly develops into a multiline arch with good fighting, several LOTR nods, not one but two well designed magic systems (plus others described in later books). There is Merlin-esque being whose purpose is not necessarily benign. Hot and intelligent ladies, cool guys, surprising losses, and it is liberally seasoned with real humor and drama.
“Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever” (Stephen R. Donaldson) rates inclusion in the top ten un-filmed fantasy series, and should be high on the list, IMHO. To me it makes Lord of The Rings look like Harry Potter.
Honestly, I wasn’t a big fan of the Thomas Covenant books. They had their moments, but it’s tough to stick with a series with such a fundamentally unlikeable protagonist, and it seemed like Donaldson was confusing darkness for depth. I’m aware they have their fans, I just wasn’t among them.
I absolutely adored the first Thomas Covenant trilogy and could personally identify with his bitterness. However the bad deed he did when he entered The Land and thought it was just a dream would make it impossible to produce profitably as a film. An HBO style TV series however is a possibility.
The bad deed has so much impact on Thomas Covenant and his actions in The Land it would be impossible not to include it. They would really have to work every angle possible to make audiences connect with Covenant and feel his remorse after the fact. Kinda like the way Ben A fleck nails the TV interview in Gone Girl.
Yeah… that would be a tough one for them to work around. If they did adapt it — even as an HBO show — I wouldn’t be surprised if they changed it to him just killing her somehow.
Little bit late to the party but
David Gemmels Drenai Books have the action and the story behind them all and with teh right casting could be as big as anything out there.
Part of the issue with turning books into films is that a book is personal and we all imagine things differently to the director etc.
Casting is also an issue as unless the films are filmed back to back without break as per LOTR and Hobbit then getting the cast back together is always an issue. Especially if they go on to bigger things
Gemmels is still on my reading list, but his work certainly gets a lot of praise. The fanbase is out there for it, so I’m sure Hollywood could make it work.
You’re right about the issues of adapting a book to film. With any adaptation, no matter how good it is, there’s always some outcry about a character not looking right, or some part being cut or expanded.
And I think the casting issue is probably the main reason so many of them are shot back-to-back nowadays, at least when that’s an option. Especially if the events take place in short succession… it’s OK for Harry Potter to take several years since the characters are supposed to age between each story anyway, but a lot of series that’s just not the case (and even there, they had to replace Dumbledore due to the death of the actor).
A lot of our favorites here, if done correctly by a network like HBO or Starz or even one that’s just on the edge like AMC, would almost make us start religious orders based on them. The very first episode of The Sword of Truth left me not just shaking my head but made me mad. They “kiddified” it and it’s definitely not a kiddy type series. Now Disney owns the rights and there was word on it being sold to another network but not any that I’ve heard could do it justice. Heck, even the author was upset by the way it’d been done. Thanks for the list cause there are quite a few I now want to re-read and others I want to start.
There’s definitely a risk of bad adaptations, that’s for sure. I never watched the TV series of The Sword of Truth (wasn’t a big of the books, myself), but I’ve heard it was pretty unfaithful.
Wow, you really should grab a few of the R.A. Salvatore books, I’ve read most on your list and none stacked up to his. While good reads, I found many of them cumbersome to trod through, the Drizzt series R.A. wrote were absolutely page turners. While I think the books were excellent I don’t k ow of a movie could extract the writing Talent that made his novels so excellent. But if a bigger studio with a budget got a hold of them, I think it would turn out like the LOR and Hobbit movies, blockbusters to say the least. The content was much better by far and the world created was quite unique. I think the political aspects of menzoberrenzon could really be pulled out to make quite am interesting movie franchise of the dark elf trilogy and they would have enough materials to go as long as people were interested.
I know R. A. Salvatore helped make the starwars light saber battle scenes between the sith and Jedi spectacular and was chosen because of his uncanny ability to visualize and descript what was in his mind into reality.
You really owe it to yourself to grab the dark elf trilogy and have a read.. My guess is it may janhe your perspective on adding it to your list!
Yeah, I’m going to have to try and pick up some Drizzt sooner or later, just to see what I missed. I do get recommendations for it now and then.
I’d probably craft this list a little bit different today even just based on the books I’ve read since I first wrote it. I expect I’ll write a follow-up sometime this year. But before I do, I’ll try and work Drizzt into my reading slate.
Good reviews and thoughts. I would love to see Fafres and the Grey Mouser brought to the screen. I think it would make a great movie or two. Elric would be a dark character for a movie but the world seems more geared towards being able to accept that now. If the success of the LTR series has shown anything it’s a series of fantasy books can cross over if done well. The Belgaeiad is probably the one on this list with the biggest and most easily accessible fa base to do it. It has the characters with enough individual personality. I keep hoping Jackson will take on the story of Feanor and finish what he started
The personalities are definitely the big selling point on the Belgariad. The plot’s fairly simple (though in film, that’s not such a bad thing), but the variety of characters is what would really keep people hooked.
As for Elric, I think you’re right that people would be willing to accept a dark fantasy character like Elric more now than they would have in the past.
What are your thoughts on the Riddlemaster of Hed series by Patricia McKillip? There’s also the Deryni series with Kelson by Kathrine Kurtz I believe?
I’ve heard of both, but haven’t actually read them yet. Both have a certain degree of acclaim, though.
The Assassin’s Apprentice trilogy by Robin Hobb would be suitable, too, in my opinion: with the dark threats and intrigue and whatnot.
Since this thread is still gathering comments years later I would like to see Stephen Donaldson’s Mordant’s Need duology made into movies, or perhaps a mini-series. I couldn’t get into the Covenant books at all.
Mordant’s Need is the one with the mirror-magic, right? I remember enjoying that quite a bit more than Thomas Covenant. I could see it working.
I agree with Barbra that Stephen Donaldson’s books should be adapted. Thomas Covenant would make a pretty good dark anti-hero character. People would dislike him at first but then become sympathetic and end up taking an interest in his character.
Same goes for Assassin’s Apprentice trilogy by Robin Hobb, as Brandon said.
I also think that David Gemmell’s books could very easily be adapted into a ‘Sharpe-like’ series with lots of battles.