# Movies that would be cool, but will never happen



## buzzard (Nov 3, 2003)

I've been re-reading Red Storm Rising lately, and it always strikes me as a book that would make a very cool movie (or TV mini series, since it's so long). However given the WWIII nature of the story, I am absolutely certain that we'll never see such a thing. I'm curious as to what other stories would make a good movie, but still never will get the chance. I can imagine that Guns of the South is in this category. What would be some others?

buzzard


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## Null Boundry (Nov 3, 2003)

I am Legend 

These days to appease the teeny goth crowd they would have to rewrite it black leather and even more angst. And as for a mortal killing a vampire, well that would never happen.

The Sten Series

Good old fashioned sci-fi with big guns and even bigger space ships.


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## Henry (Nov 3, 2003)

A couple of book series I've read would make a good TV series (because of their length) but due to budget problems, I doubt they would be made:

William Forschten's Lost Regiment Series (Rally Cry / Terrible Swift Sword / Union Forever, etc.) - Budget Concerns to do it properly

Leo Frankowski's Conrad Stargard Series (Crosstime Engineer / High-Tech Knight / Radiant Warrior / Flying Warlord / Lord Conrad's Lady) - Too overly sexist to EVER be made - unless it was heavily altered, it would never fly, as it makes the Man Show on Comedy Central look tame)

David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series - I've never read it, but based on discussions with a friend, it would make a great tale to tell. - Lack of exposure is likely why this one wouldn't do well.


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## buzzard (Nov 3, 2003)

Henry said:
			
		

> William Forschten's Lost Regiment Series (Rally Cry / Terrible Swift Sword / Union Forever, etc.) - Budget Concerns to do it properly




Definitely have to second this one. I've read the series. The scope is way too big. Also I suspect the genre might be a little too odd. I like the books, but re-planted Union troops vs. Alien hordes sounds like a hard seel in Hollywood. 

BTW does anyone know when the next book in the new Rally Cry world series is due?

buzzard


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## Rackhir (Nov 3, 2003)

Null Boundry said:
			
		

> I am Legend
> 
> These days to appease the teeny goth crowd they would have to rewrite it black leather and even more angst. And as for a mortal killing a vampire, well that would never happen.




Ah, I take it you are not aware that there have been TWO movies based on the short story? The first is a B&W film from the 50's or early 60's starring Vincent Price called "The Last Man on Earth", but it is almost completely faithful to the original story. A good film, has been running on several of the movie channels over the past several months. Not sure if it's available on DVD though.

Second version was done in the late 60's early 70's starring Charston Heston, called "The Omega Man". It diverged more substantially from the original story (in particular giving him a chance to display his gun fetishes), but is still an entertaining movie and some of the changes were of interest in it's own right. The "Vampires" weren't classical vampires, but more disease victims and still sentient.


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## Tewligan (Nov 3, 2003)

I would love to see an Elric movie  - oh, and it would be nice if it didn't suck, of course.


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## Kid Charlemagne (Nov 3, 2003)

Well, Elric has been optioned, and I Am Legend is in the works, so there's two that are in various stages of being on their way...


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## diaglo (Nov 3, 2003)

I would love to see the Lord of the Rings done right.


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## A2Z (Nov 3, 2003)

diaglo said:
			
		

> I would love to see the Lord of the Rings done right.



Right...


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## Michael Tree (Nov 3, 2003)

I would love to see Zelazny's Amber done as a trilogy of movies.


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## Macbeth (Nov 3, 2003)

We need a Terry Pratchett movie...


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## s/LaSH (Nov 3, 2003)

I've got an original idea in which the heroes are Nazi soldiers. Challenging, to say the least.



			
				Henry said:
			
		

> David Weber's "Honor Harrington" series - I've never read it, but based on discussions with a friend, it would make a great tale to tell. - Lack of exposure is likely why this one wouldn't do well.




Last I heard, they were actually planning a live-action TV series of our Honor. "They" is possibly ADV Films, who are definitely developing Weber's 'Mutineer's Moon' into an animated property. So there is yet hope.

I have to wonder what it'll be like... and who they'll get to play Honor. Tall, about half a century old (but still seemingly 20, thanks to prolong), soprano, and thoroughly deserving of the name Salamander, because she's always where the fire is hottest and doing a good job. And let's not forget the martial arts.

Hard bill to fit...



			
				Macbeth said:
			
		

> We need a Terry Pratchett movie...




So the animated ones aren't good enough, huh? (Soul Music, Wyrd Sisters.)

Live-action Pratchett would be good, though. A whole new level of don't-look-in-the-river grime.


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## Macbeth (Nov 3, 2003)

s/LaSH said:
			
		

> So the animated ones aren't good enough, huh? (Soul Music, Wyrd Sisters.)
> 
> Live-action Pratchett would be good, though. A whole new level of don't-look-in-the-river grime.



There are animated Pratchett movies ?!?


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## Viking Bastard (Nov 3, 2003)

Rackhir said:
			
		

> Second version was done in the late 60's early 70's starring Charston Heston, called "The Omega Man". It diverged more substantially from the original story (in particular giving him a chance to display his gun fetishes), but is still an entertaining movie and some of the changes were of interest in it's own right. The "Vampires" weren't classical vampires, but more disease victims and still sentient.



Whoah? Omega Man was made after I Am Legend? I love the movie and 
I somewhat enjoyed the book, but I never knew there was a connection.

I mean, I can see the similarities, but it's only one of so so many 'survivor
vs. evil/aliens/thingy' I've seen through the years.


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## ConnorSB (Nov 3, 2003)

Animated Prachet? Where? Where?

Oh, and while we are on the subject, how about a super miniseries of GRRM's Song of Ice and Fire (up until book three, at any rate). Of course, it would cost millions, and should live up to the book in full... if such a thing were possible...


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## A2Z (Nov 3, 2003)

Michael Tree said:
			
		

> I would love to see Zelazny's Amber done as a trilogy of movies.



I don't know if they'd make a good trilogy. The story flows from one event to the next. I really don't know where you'd cut them. I think it'd be difficult to find a way to end it between movies.

 On the other hand an Amber mini-series would be fantastic.


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## orbitalfreak (Nov 4, 2003)

I was just thinking yesterday that it would be awesome to see the old cartoon series Gargoyles made live-action, if they could pull it off right.  Maybe a live-action series/mini-series would suit it better.  You could ramp up the action a bit, make it a bit more on the grim-and-gritty side, like a PG-13 rating or so.

I still say that a Drizz't or Dragonlance movie/series would be great.  Any D&D movie, done right *coughcough* would be cool.


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## Shadowdancer (Nov 4, 2003)

The Black Company books.

Dennis L. McKiernan's "Eye of the Hunter."

The "Alien vs. Predator" story in which the Japanese woman gets picked up by the Predators and becomes part of a hunting party. But the whole story, starting with her being an administrator on an isolated colony world that gets "seeded" by the Predators for an Alien hunt.


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## Barendd Nobeard (Nov 4, 2003)

Macbeth said:
			
		

> We need a Terry Pratchett movie...



Does Good Omens count?  Pratchett co-wrote the novel (with Neil Gaiman) and Terry Gilliam is going to direct.

*edit* - looks like the project is "stalled"


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## 2d6 (Nov 4, 2003)

I just like like to see an original Film (fantasy or Sci-fi) that isn't based on a TV show, book, comic, short story, cartoon, or some such that isn't the matrix.


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## Piratecat (Nov 4, 2003)

diaglo said:
			
		

> I would love to see the Lord of the Rings done right.




He's just cementing his reputation as our favorite local curmudgeon.    Some time, my friend, I'll buy you a beer and you can tell me what you'd do differently.

I enjoyed the first of the Crosstime Engineer series - it was nice to see a Polish protagonist - but they quickly degenerated to silliness. the first book or two were worth reading, though.

I think it would be fun to see a production of the Stainless Steel Rat.


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## Maraxle (Nov 4, 2003)

Wizard's First Rule by Terry Goodkind and/or a good D&D movie


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## Kai Lord (Nov 4, 2003)

The grand daddy of all "films that will never be" are *Star Wars* Episodes 6,7,8,9, and 1,2 and 3 as they were originally envisioned when Empire Strikes Back was in production.

The ORIGINAL plan for Return of the Jedi, as told by producer Gary Kurtz: 



> "The one story thread that got totally tossed out the window, which was really pretty important I think, was the one of Vader trying to convince Luke to join him to overthrow the Emperor. That together they had enough power that they could do that, and it wasn't him saying I want to take over the world and be the evil leader, it was that transition. It was Vader saying, "I'm looking again at what I've done and where my life has gone and who I've served and, very much in the Samurai tradition, and saying if I can join forces with my son, who is just as strong as I am, that maybe we can make some amends." So there was all of that going on in Jedi as well, that was supposed to go on. So the story was quite a bit more poignant and the ending was the coronation of Leia as the queen of what was left of her people, to take over the royal symbol. That meant she was then isolated from all of the rest and Luke went off then by himself. It was basically a kind of bittersweet ending. She's not his sister that dropped in to wrap up everything neatly. His sister was someone else way over on the other side of the galaxy and she wasn't going to show up until the next episode."




The ORIGINAL plan for Episodes 7, 8, and 9:



> It was Luke's journey really up to becoming sort of the premiere Jedi knight in the Obi-Wan Kenobi mold and his ultimate confrontation with the emperor. That was the outline of it and all that happens.




The ORIGINAL plans for Episode 1, according to Gary Kurtz:



> "Well, I find it really difficult to have any kind of objectivity about The Phantom Menace because I know I was around when we were talking about what the first three stories would be like and what he was thinking about. Some of the treatments had references to that and episode one was going to be about the origin of the Jedi and the killing off of the Sith Lords and much more kind of archetypal, political aspects."




The full interview can be read here:  http://www.filmthreat.com/Interviews.asp?File=InterviewsOne.asp&Id=8

What I would give to see a Star Wars saga that didn't thow in the towel the way they did with Return of the Jedi.  A Star Wars saga with a prequel trilogy every bit as gripping and masterful as Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings.

*sigh*


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## Oni (Nov 4, 2003)

diaglo said:
			
		

> I would love to see the Lord of the Rings done right.





Ok, I'll bite.  

What was wrong with Peter Jackson's take and how would you make it right?


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## Tratyn Runewind (Nov 4, 2003)

Hello, 



> Posted by buzzard:
> *I'm curious as to what other stories would make a good movie, but still never will get the chance.*




The prototypical space-opera epic, E. E. "Doc" Smith's "Lensman" series.  Some social conventions that now seem a bit quaint, some currently-unfashionable attitudes, some overtaken-by-events alternate technology paths, and the fact that many of its ideas have since become space-opera clichés would render this one all but impossible to make.  But it's tough to beat for sheer breathtaking epic-scale adventure.  An alien race of incalculable psionic power has been secretly manipulating the history and genetics of humanity and three other alien races for millions of years, for the sole purpose of bringing into existence the Galactic Patrol and its elite Corps of Lensmen, as a weapon for use against the massive, multilayered, and intertwined conspiracies of an even more powerful alien race.  It is the acknowledged inspiration for DC Comics' Green Lantern Corps.

I am aware of the "Lensman" anime.  It bears about as much resemblance to Smith's books as _Hardware Wars_ does to _Star Wars_.  



> Posted by 2d6:
> *I just like like to see an original Film (fantasy or Sci-fi) that isn't based on a TV show, book, comic, short story, cartoon, or some such that isn't the matrix.*




What?  You mean _The Matrix_ and sequels weren't heavily inspired by _Ghost in the Shell_ and the ultra-paranoid conspiracy theories of David Ickes?  



> Posted by Oni:
> *Ok, I'll bite.
> 
> What was wrong with Peter Jackson's take and how would you make it right?*




Well, I'm not diaglo, but this question is interesting enough that I think I'll offer my own answer to it while I'm here.

To me, the problem with the movies is that they are compromises.  They have two seperate and somewhat conflicting goals.  One goal is to put Tolkien's vision on the big screen, and the other is to make New Line its money back, and hopefully some profit on top of that.  

The second goal requires them to adhere to certain common conventions, and the ones most harmful to Tolkien's story are acceptable length, "need" for a female lead, and the "need" to have "break points" between the movies where some of the current action can be "wrapped up" while still leaving it clear that there's a lot of the story yet to be told.  

I think that Jackson has managed the compromises about as well as can be done, and I do like the movies a lot.  But to me, the ideal Tolkien movies would be ones that didn't compromise at all, which would essentially mean they would have to be done as a labor of love.  I don't doubt that the extended-length DVDs, which avoid the most crippling of the conventions, have the potential to be much closer to Tolkien's vision, though they are still composed around scenes from a script written to conform to other conventions.  

If I were re-editing the movies to my taste, but still with time constraints and the need to make a profit, I'd probably change relatively little.  I'd leave Sauron nine fingers, instead of the six or so he had after Isildur amputated half his hand.  I'd make explicit a 17-year gap between the Long-Expected Party and Gandalf's return.  I'd cut the Telekinesis Fight between Gandalf and Saruman, and Saruman's early revelation of his Palantir.  I'd make Galadriel's temptation much more regal and awesome, and less monstrous.  The Argonath statues would have axes instead of swords.  I'd make Boromir's horn a ringing in the hills, rather than the pathetic tooting it was.  Theoden's initial inaction would be the result of manipulation by Wormtongue rather than outright posession by Saruman  (his beard would be much longer and fuller too, and stay with him even after Gandalf helps him).  I'd leave the elves out of Helm's Deep (I suppose I should be thankful they left Arwen out of that fight, which Dame Rumor says she was originally to be in).  And I'd reduce all the denigration of the supporting characters (Butterbur's and Theoden's cowardice, Faramir's corruption, Treebeard's derelict ignorance of Saruman's depredations, and Merry, Pippin, and Gimli's fourth-wall-breaking descents into comic-relief status).  

Without the constraints, besides the changes mentioned above, I'd just stick generally closer to the books all around.  I'd keep at the very least cameo appearances by all the major missing supporting characters, including Fatty Bolger, Gildor Inglorion and his band, Glorfindel, Erkenbrand, Elladan and Elrohir, Radagast, and especially Bombadil.  With Bombadil present, the hobbits would get their weapons in the Barrow-Downs.  Merry and Pippin would be revealed and treated as persons of substance and scions of two of the wealthiest and most prestigious hobbit families, rather than as thieving rascals.  They would accompany Frodo as the result of their deliberate plan, rather than literally stumbling into him and Sam in a field.  Frodo himself would look somewhere halfway close to 50 years old (though not too close, since he does have the Ring).  I'd put Arwen in the near-invisible role she had in the books.  The Council of Elrond scene would be more than the hurried squabble it got in the movie.  Gimli would get his three golden hairs  .  Faramir wouldn't find out about the Ring until Sam spilled the beans, and he'd then resist temptation.  Haven't seen the third film yet, or peeked at a script, but I have my worries, especially about the Scouring of the Shire.  Have to admit, though, the preview did get the old blood pumping, and gives hope that, as before, they got most of the main themes right.  

To give credit where it is due, Hobbiton, the Bruinen flood, Rivendell, all the Balrog scenes, Edoras, and Helm's Deep were all I could have hoped for; Minas Tirith and Moria look wonderful as well, Gandalf, Saruman, and Boromir are perfectly cast, Sean Astin as Sam is surprisingly good, and the respect for the languages that were the inspiration for the tale's writing is obvious.  

Hope this helps!


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## Isida Kep'Tukari (Nov 4, 2003)

I want to see Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series, all 25 books!  

Ok, how about just the Arrow, Winds, and Storms trilogies?  9 movies, that's not too much to ask now is it?


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## Yellow Sign (Nov 4, 2003)

I would like to see _The Call of Cthulhu_ done with a big budget and some stars. 

Honor Harrington would be great. But a mini series or tv series would seem to be a better fit.


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## Wolf72 (Nov 4, 2003)

oooh, I loved _Red Storm Rising_ ... one of my favorite Clancy novels.  Very easy read as well.


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## Rackhir (Nov 4, 2003)

Yellow Sign said:
			
		

> I would like to see _The Call of Cthulhu_ done with a big budget and some stars.




Are you aware that there have actually been a number of HP Lovecraft stories that were adapted into movies? Or are you talking about specific modules from the game? Personally I don't really care who's in the movie as long as they are good. Plenty of "Star" based adaptations have sucked rocks.

If anyone is looking for a good Cthulhu movie. "Re-Animator" and the horribly titled but actually excellent "She-Creature" are probably the best out there. She-Creature isn't based off of a Lovecraft story, but does by FAR the best job of capturing the feeling of one of his stories. Which is the hardest thing to do, but actually requires the least amount of budget. 

The monsters and "horrifying" scenes in the stories almost always take place off screen in the stories and are related or described to others afterwards. Which is something that most directors miss about the stories. Unless you've got HR Giger working as your art director, it's unlikely that any movie will really capture the sense of something totally alien and incompatible with our reality, that make up so much of what makes the Old Ones and their minions the horrors that they are. Usually you just wind up with something that looks strange, but is basically just another Hollywood Monster.

There is also an old Vincent Price movie based on "The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward" called "The Haunted Palace", which is definitely worth a watch. It's from about 1963, so it's probably not out on DVD, but the other two are. 

The recent movie "Dagon" is a decent adaptation of "The Shadow over Innsmouth", but no great shakes.

Avoid the "Dunwich Horror" from the sixties and pretty much anything else that claims to be "HP Lovecraft's......" or "Based on......"


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## Rackhir (Nov 4, 2003)

Viking Bastard said:
			
		

> Whoah? Omega Man was made after I Am Legend? I love the movie and
> I somewhat enjoyed the book, but I never knew there was a connection.
> 
> I mean, I can see the similarities, but it's only one of so so many 'survivor
> vs. evil/aliens/thingy' I've seen through the years.




Check the names of the characters and such on www.IMDB.com and then try watching both movies. It will become, obvious.



> Posted by ConnorSB - Yesterday at 07:25 PM
> Animated Prachet? Where? Where?




Both mini-series are available on Amazon.
Wyrd Sisters -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...4/104-2271129-1645509?v=glance&s=dvd&n=507846
Soul Music -
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/A...65331/sr=11-1/ref=sr_11_1/104-2271129-1645509

Frankly though I was not impressed at all with Wyrd Sisters (I've not seen Soul Music). There was something kind of cheezy about the whole production, the humor seemed kind of flat and it looked like someone had just been given a digital video effects studio and spent WAYYY to much time adding totally unecessary digital effects that looked horrible and served no purpose at all. So, much as I really wanted to like it, I just can't recommend it.


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## uv23 (Nov 4, 2003)

Battletech. There's an amazing wealth of epic historical drama throughout the succession wars and after. Would make for an amazingly epic sci-fi trilogy (atleast) of movies if done properly.


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## Storm Raven (Nov 4, 2003)

Tratyn Runewind said:
			
		

> The Argonath statues would have axes instead of swords.  I'd make Boromir's horn a ringing in the hills, rather than the pathetic tooting it was.




While most of your quibbles amount to taste issues, I couldn't let these two go by without commenting.

(1) The Argonath in the movie were armed as they were described in the book: one with an axe, and one with a sword. Check the scene more closely.

(2) Boromir's horn sounded exactly like horns of that type sound. To have it "ringing in the hills" would have been an innacuracy for that type of equipment.


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## Tewligan (Nov 4, 2003)

Rackhir said:
			
		

> The recent movie "Dagon" is a decent adaptation of "The Shadow over Innsmouth", but no great shakes.



Ooh, I quite enjoy "Dagon" - I think it's a lot more true to Lovecraft than "Re-Animator". Mind you, I also love "Re-animator", but it's a little too wacky to be considered Lovecraftian.


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## Rackhir (Nov 4, 2003)

Storm Raven said:
			
		

> (2) Boromir's horn sounded exactly like horns of that type sound. To have it "ringing in the hills" would have been an innacuracy for that type of equipment.




Ah, LoTR IS after all epic fantasy. Complaining that the horn "ringing in the hills" is not realistic, doesn't really make any sense. In the book it was after all heard by Faramir and his men far, far, far away. Boromir's horn wasn't just supposed to be a tinny little thing you could only hear a couple of hundred feet away. It was supposed to echo for miles, I think from one end to the other of Gondor iirc. 



> Ooh, I quite enjoy "Dagon" - I think it's a lot more true to Lovecraft than "Re-Animator". Mind you, I also love "Re-animator", but it's a little too wacky to be considered Lovecraftian.




Granted, Re-Animator wasn't the most "Canon" of movies, but it was a Good Movie, in it's own right. What perhaps was more important, it worked as a movie and was a good updating of the original story to modern times. So I would rate it as being better than Dagon, which was missing that certain something that takes a movie from "Eh." to "That was great!".


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## Dark Jezter (Nov 4, 2003)

If the LOTR movies were straight translations of the novels, they'd be the funkiest musicals in history. 

I'd like to see a movie trilogy of R.A. Salvatore's _Icewind Dale Trilogy_ series of novels.  Those books are great action/adventure fun, and a big-screen adaptation of them would be very cool to see.

I would also like to see a Braveheart-style film about Alaric the Goth; the barbarian who sacked Rome in 410 AD.  Unfortunately, if Hollywood made a movie of it, they'd probably throw in cheesy things like a love story and Alaric having a swordfight with the Emperor of Rome.


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## KenM (Nov 4, 2003)

I would love to see A Song of Ice and Fire, but to do it right IMO, it would have to be an epic TV series, like Babylon 5 had a 5 year arc. Also to keep all the adult stuff in it, have to be on HBO or Showtime. And they are working on a LoTR musical.


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## Shadowdancer (Nov 5, 2003)

Tratyn Runewind said:
			
		

> And I'd reduce all the denigration of the supporting characters (. . . and Merry, Pippin, and Gimli's fourth-wall-breaking descents into comic-relief status).





Breaking the fourth wall? When? I agree that they descended into comic-relief status, but I cannot recall any instance of them breaking the fourth wall. 



			
				Tratyn Runewind said:
			
		

> Haven't seen the third film yet, or peeked at a script, but I have my worries, especially about the Scouring of the Shire.



Well, you're going to disappointed. There will be no Scouring of the Shire. Peter Jackson said in interviews back when FotR came out that there would be no Scouring. The images Frodo saw in the scrying basin are going to be the only depiction of the Scouring.


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## LoneWolf23 (Nov 5, 2003)

Regarding all the "ideal adaptation ideas" for LoTR, I think the Fellowship Extended DVD's "Making of" documentary expanded well enough into the difficulties of adapting Tolkien's "Magnum Opus" into cinematic format.  There's simply Too Much in the novels to create a 100% Faithful adaptation in a Trilogy Format (In fact, they were originally planning on cutting it into two movies, but thankfully they got a producer who said "You can't make two movies with this.  It's gotta be a trilogy."  Thank god not all Hollywood Producers are idiots)

In order to do as Trayten suggests, Peter Jackson would've had to create a made-for-TV Maxi-series with 12 or so 1-hour episodes, or perhaps just a Lord of the Ring TV series, and even then it would've suffered from cutting or editing.


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## barsoomcore (Nov 5, 2003)

Dark Jezter said:
			
		

> If the LOTR movies were straight translations of the novels, they'd be the funkiest musicals in history.



 I defy anyone (after they've read this post) to see the Argonath in _The Fellowship of the Ring_ and NOT immediately hear the Supremes in their heads:







"Stop! In the name of love..."


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## Henry (Nov 5, 2003)

Dark Jezter said:
			
		

> I'd like to see a movie trilogy of R.A. Salvatore's _Icewind Dale Trilogy_ series of novels.  Those books are great action/adventure fun, and a big-screen adaptation of them would be very cool to see.




I would myself enjoy seeing a drizzt story on the big screen, and I don't want to derail this too much, but I doubt it could be done without offending any political organization or person. If there were major accusations with George Lucas over Jar Jar Binks' supposed cultural origins, the very concepts behind "Dark Elves" that we take for granted would be impossible not to misconstrue.

OTOH, X-Men's Nightcrawler getup was very convincing... maybe it could be done.


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## Uzumaki (Nov 5, 2003)

barsoomcore said:
			
		

> I defy anyone (after they've read this post) to see the Argonath in _The Fellowship of the Ring_ and NOT immediately hear the Supremes in their heads:
> 
> "Stop! In the name of love..."




Damn you! You broke my heart...


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## Mark (Nov 5, 2003)

I'd like to see the excellent A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller brought to the big (or even small) screen.

And perhaps some of the Eddings work.  Though I think most people would prefer the Belgariad, if anything, while I'd prefer to see the Elenium.


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 5, 2003)

Yellow Sign said:
			
		

> I would like to see _The Call of Cthulhu_ done with a big budget and some stars.




If I recall correctly, Guelliermo (sp?) del Toro is working on a big-budget version of _At the Mountains of Madness_.

And I concurr for the need for a Pratchett movie. And yes, I am blithely ignoring the animated ones.

Demiurge out.


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## Wombat (Nov 5, 2003)

Dark Jezter said:
			
		

> I would also like to see a Braveheart-style film about Alaric the Goth; the barbarian who sacked Rome in 410 AD.  Unfortunately, if Hollywood made a movie of it, they'd probably throw in cheesy things like a love story and Alaric having a swordfight with the Emperor of Rome.




Well, that works given the hatchet job _Braveheart_ did on history (William Wallace was a Lowlander, was the son of a knight, never sacked York, was not the father of Edward II, no one wore blue face paint in the period, etc.).  So why not  

OTOH, I will hold out for an accurate rendition of Dracula.  It'll never happen.  Ditto 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea -- no one wants to remember Ned Land, Flaming Socialist  

Oh, or a decent Arthurian film.

Which is even more of a flight of fantasy than someone doing Bram Stoker right...


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## Dark Jezter (Nov 5, 2003)

Henry said:
			
		

> I would myself enjoy seeing a drizzt story on the big screen, and I don't want to derail this too much, but I doubt it could be done without offending any political organization or person. If there were major accusations with George Lucas over Jar Jar Binks' supposed cultural origins, the very concepts behind "Dark Elves" that we take for granted would be impossible not to misconstrue.
> 
> OTOH, X-Men's Nightcrawler getup was very convincing... maybe it could be done.




You've got a point there, Henry.  I also recall people accusing Attack of the Clones of being overtly rascist, and people accusing the LOTR movies of promoting rascist thinking because orcs are all ugly and evil.

Still, I think that the biggest problem with a Drizzt movie would be people claiming it was a LOTR ripoff... "Wait a minute... _Lord of the Rings_ has dwarves, elves, halflings, and orcs... and so does _The Icewind Dale Trilogy_... RIPOFF!!!"

I also agree with you about Nightcrawler, though.  When I saw X2 for the first time, one of my very first thoughts upon seeing Night Crawler was "Hey, with a little bit of a different makeup job, he could easily pass for a drow."


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## Elf Witch (Nov 5, 2003)

Ray Silver said:
			
		

> I want to see Mercedes Lackey's Heralds of Valdemar series, all 25 books!
> 
> Ok, how about just the Arrow, Winds, and Storms trilogies?  9 movies, that's not too much to ask now is it?





Me too  I would also like to see Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series made into mini series. 

Another great mini series along the lines of say Shogun is Jennifer Roberson's Cheysuli (sp) series. I loved how each novel went a little farther in seeing the prophecy fulfilled. " A man of all bloods would one day reunite four warring kingdoms and two magical races" I think that is how it went by books are packed at the moment.


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## Tratyn Runewind (Nov 5, 2003)

Hi again,



> Posted by Rackhir:
> *There is also an old Vincent Price movie based on "The Strange Case of Charles Dexter Ward" called "The Haunted Palace", which is definitely worth a watch. It's from about 1963, so it's probably not out on DVD, but the other two are. *




There's another movie based on Charles Dexter Ward from the early '90s called _The Resurrected_.  It's the best Lovecraft adaptation I've seen yet - _Re-Animator_, _From Beyond_, _The Unnameable_, and all the others seem to me to resemble Troma films that take themselves too seriously.  Chris Sarandon (probably best known around here as Prince Humperdinck and the vampire from _Fright Night_) plays Ward and his ancestor.




> Posted by Storm Raven:
> *While most of your quibbles amount to taste issues*




True enough, I suppose.  When I go to see a Tolkien movie, I prefer to see one that places Tolkien's tastes ahead of those of the director or screenwriter to the fullest extent possible.



> Posted by Storm Raven:
> *The Argonath in the movie were armed as they were described in the book: one with an axe, and one with a sword.*




_"The left hand of each was raised palm outwards in gesture of warning, in each right hand there was an axe, upon each head there was a crumbling helm and crown."_

 - "The Great River", _Fellowship of the Ring_, J. R. R. Tolkien



> Posted by Storm Raven:
> *Boromir's horn sounded exactly like horns of that type sound. To have it "ringing in the hills" would have been an innacuracy for that type of equipment.*




_"Then suddenly with a deep-throated call a great horn blew, and the blasts of it smote the hills and echoed in the hollows, rising in a mighty shout above the roaring of the falls.

'The horn of Boromir!' he cried.  'He is in need'"_

 - "The Departure of Boromir", _The Two Towers_, J. R. R. Tolkien



> Posted by Shadowdancer:
> *Breaking the fourth wall? When?*




Hmm, poor choice of words on my part there.  I didn't mean Bob Hope-style direct addressing of the camera, just jarring anachronisms (like the dwarf-tossing references) or other idiocy that threw me back from Middle-Earth into a theater.  



> Posted by Shadowdancer:
> *There will be no Scouring of the Shire.*




Makes me wonder what they're going to do with Saruman and Wormtongue.  I also still suspect and hope that there may be reference to it, and perhaps some shots of it, as part of the loss and sacrifice referred to in the trailer.  They have done some new filming for the later movies, if I remember correctly, and the dismantled Hobbiton sets shouldn't be too much of a problem for the Scouring.  



> Posted by LoneWolf123:
> *In order to do as Trayten suggests, Peter Jackson would've had to create a made-for-TV Maxi-series with 12 or so 1-hour episodes, or perhaps just a Lord of the Ring TV series, and even then it would've suffered from cutting or editing.*




Yes, commercial television has its own set of conventions that must be followed by productions hoping to make a profit.  That is why I said a faithful Tolkien production would have to be done as a labor of love, like something commisioned by an über-wealthy fan for his own enjoyment, rather than as a profit-making enterprise.  



> Posted by Henry:
> *OTOH, X-Men's Nightcrawler getup was very convincing*




Convincing?  Loved the movie, but...my poor Fuzzy-Elf!  



> Posted by Elf Witch:
> *I would also like to see Katherine Kurtz's Deryni series made into mini series.*




Ah, the Deryni.  Original inspiration for the D&D Psionicist class, which appeared in Dragon #78 with (1st Edition, of course) stats for Camber, Joram, Rhys, Alaric, Duncan, Kelson, and others.  I don't really see anything in the series that would outright bar this from being produced, though it is of course far more obscure than the likes of giants like Tolkien or LeGuin.  A movie or mini-series would be nice, but I'd settle for Kurtz writing up the rest of her books faster than the 16 years (!) I waited between _Quest for Saint Camber_ and _King Kelson's Bride_.  Yeah, the Adept, the Templar stories, and the immediate post-Camber era are nice, but let's focus, here!  

Again, hope this helps!


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## trancejeremy (Nov 5, 2003)

Dark Jezter said:
			
		

> If the LOTR movies were straight translations of the novels, they'd be the funkiest musicals in history.




I would like to see a disco musical version of LOTR. Maybe not a movie, but a cd.

Laugh, but it worked for War of the Worlds.

Just don't let Leonard Nimoy take part in it.


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## trancejeremy (Nov 5, 2003)

I actually liked "The Dunwich Horror". Most of the other HPL movies tend to be made for those people who read "Fangoria" or those other splatter-horror movies.


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## trancejeremy (Nov 5, 2003)

I would like a lot more Star Wars movies to be made.

Besides episodes 7,8,9, I'd like to see side stories. Especially one with Lando Calrissian

I'd love to see KOTOR made into a movie. It deserves one.


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## Elf Witch (Nov 5, 2003)

Tratyn Runewind said:
			
		

> Hi again,
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Know I am going to have to go and try and find this issue of Dragon.  The Deryni books are my LOTR. Her new book which tells the tale of Morgan's parents In THe King's Service just came out.  I had the pleasure of talking with Katherine Kurtz earlier this year she was visiting family down her in Florida before she went to Gencon. We talked about why it takes her so long to write her Deryni novels. IT's all the deep layers she puts into them. She can't just crank them out. BTW there were three Derni novels between Quest for Saint camber and King Kelson's Bride. She filled in the back story of Camber's time with THe Harrowing of Gwynedd, King Javan's Year and The Bastard Prince.

Later this year they are rereleasing The original Deryni series with a few modifactions things that she would like to see changed now that she is a more experienced writer.

I have ordered The Deryni gamebook based on the fudge system I am dying to get it I have always wanted to play in a DEryni setting.


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## Dimwhit (Nov 5, 2003)

My idea of a cool book-to-movie (I hope no one mentioned it--I didn't read every post) would be Faerie Tale by Raymond Feist. It doesn't read as well today as it did in the 80s, but the story is great and it would make an amazing fantasy/horror movie.


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## Yellow Sign (Nov 5, 2003)

Rackhir said:
			
		

> Are you aware that there have actually been a number of HP Lovecraft stories that were adapted into movies? Or are you talking about specific modules from the game? Personally I don't really care who's in the movie as long as they are good. Plenty of "Star" based adaptations have sucked rocks.




LOL...well I am talking about the short story _Call of Cthulhu_.
You can read it here.  http://www.gizmology.net/lovecraft/works/cthulhu.htm

Its about this demon god Cthulhu who rests dead but dreaming in a sunken city and his cult which wants to bring him back to life to rule and/or destroy the world.  

PS: sorry could not resist!


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## diaglo (Nov 5, 2003)

I'd like to see someone try:

Quag Keep by Andre Norton.

i've always been curious how they would do the wrist thingie with the dice.


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## SteelDraco (Nov 5, 2003)

A few comics I think would make excellent movies.

Sandman, of course - particularly Season of Mists. That's a great storyline, and would be an excellent movie. Unfortunately, if they ever actually do a Sandman movie, it'll likely be based on Preludes and Nocturnes, which I don't think is nearly as good. Yes, the release/return of Sandman to the world is important, but I don't think it would be a great movie.

Rising Stars and Midnight Nation would both be really great in film form. Both would cost quite a bit of money, but would be amazingly cool. Rising Stars is a supers comic about a group of 113 children affected by a one-time flash, and the way the world reacts to them. Midnight Nation is about a guy who gets his soul stolen, and has to walk across the US on the side of the lost people, to fight Satan to get his soul back.

I've heard that Preacher is coming out as a movie; hopefully they do a good job with it. I've only read four of the trade paperbacks, but most of what I've read, I really enjoyed. I'm wondering how they'll condense the whole storyline into one movie, though. It's a fairly long series.

Song of Ice and Fire would be amazing as a movie, but nearly impossible. It'd be considerably harder than LotR, which is the only thing I can really compare it to in scope. They'd have to cut so much (both for audiences and length) that it wouldn't end up anything like Martin's version of the story. And that'd be such a shame that I'm almost glad it isn't going to happen.

I'm a big fan of Jim Butcher's 'Dresden Files' books, if anybody's familiar with them. Those would be really good movies, too. Lots of action, excellent characters, and some fun magic stuff goin' on.


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## Viking Bastard (Nov 6, 2003)

Heh. A Rising Stars movie is already in the works. I don't know if it'll ever get 
made or anything, but it's a possibility. The Preacher project is long dead.


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## Shadowdancer (Nov 6, 2003)

Tratyn Runewind said:
			
		

> Makes me wonder what they're going to do with Saruman and Wormtongue. I also still suspect and hope that there may be reference to it, and perhaps some shots of it, as part of the loss and sacrifice referred to in the trailer. They have done some new filming for the later movies, if I remember correctly, and the dismantled Hobbiton sets shouldn't be too much of a problem for the Scouring.



There won't be any reference to the Scouring because in Jackson's movies the Scouring does not happen.


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## Pants (Nov 6, 2003)

SteelDraco said:
			
		

> Song of Ice and Fire would be amazing as a movie, but nearly impossible. It'd be considerably harder than LotR, which is the only thing I can really compare it to in scope. They'd have to cut so much (both for audiences and length) that it wouldn't end up anything like Martin's version of the story. And that'd be such a shame that I'm almost glad it isn't going to happen.



A Hedge Knight movie, however, would be entirely possible and a really cool movie to boot.

I think a Drizzt movie focusing more on the Entreri plotline would be really cool.


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## Null Boundry (Nov 6, 2003)

Rackhir said:
			
		

> Ah, I take it you are not aware that there have been TWO movies based on the short story? The first is a B&W film from the 50's or early 60's starring Vincent Price called "The Last Man on Earth", but it is almost completely faithful to the original story. A good film, has been running on several of the movie channels over the past several months. Not sure if it's available on DVD though.
> 
> Second version was done in the late 60's early 70's starring Charston Heston, called "The Omega Man". It diverged more substantially from the original story (in particular giving him a chance to display his gun fetishes), but is still an entertaining movie and some of the changes were of interest in it's own right. The "Vampires" weren't classical vampires, but more disease victims and still sentient.




Yes I've seen them and did quite like them but they are not the same as the book.


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## Tratyn Runewind (Nov 6, 2003)

Hello again, 



> Posted by Elf Witch:
> *Know I am going to have to go and try and find this issue of Dragon.*




It's in the "Dragon Magazine CD-ROM Archive", which is an amazing value in and of itself.  Issues 1 to 250 of Dragon, plus all seven issues of its predecessor the Strategic Review.  Truly a piece of gaming history.  And supposedly often in the cheap racks at many software stores by now, when it can be found at all.  

Dragon #68 also contains a short article on non-adventuring "cloistered" clerics that was pretty obviously inspired by the Deryni books; Handfire and Deryni-like Wards are among their spells, and the Deryni books are the only ones mentioned as reference in the article.  Still, it's nothing like the wealth of material on them in #78.



> Posted by Elf Witch:
> *Her new book which tells the tale of Morgan's parents In THe King's Service just came out.*




Hmm, hers is one of the names I always look for when I run through the "New Hardcovers" section at the local bookstores, but I hadn't heard of this one yet.  I'll be sure to keep an eye out for it; thanks!  



> Posted by Elf Witch:
> *BTW there were three Derni novels between Quest for Saint camber and King Kelson's Bride.*




Yes, this is what I meant by "the immediate post-Camber era".  I think Guiscard is my favorite character from those books.



> Posted by Elf Witch:
> *Later this year they are rereleasing The original Deryni series with a few modifactions things that she would like to see changed now that she is a more experienced writer.*




Hadn't heard this either.  It should be interesting to see what the changes are.  Even Tolkien revised _The Hobbit_ as LotR was being written, and incorporated the changes into LotR, with the original edition being the falsehood that Bilbo first wrote and told the dwarves (Gollum giving Bilbo the ring as a prize for winning the riddle-game) and the revised edition being the "truth".



> Posted by Shadowdancer:
> *There won't be any reference to the Scouring because in Jackson's movies the Scouring does not happen.*




Ah well.  Again, it does make me wonder how Saruman and Wormtongue will be handled.  I suppose I'll find out in a few weeks...  

Oh, and Viking Bastard:  Anyone with Guy Gardner as their avatar has got to get an attaboy from me.  Very nice!


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## Viking Bastard (Nov 6, 2003)

That's not any Guy Gardner. That's Kevin Maguire's Guy Gardner. THE Guy Gardner.


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## Tratyn Runewind (Nov 6, 2003)

Hello, 

[topic drift]


> Posted by Viking Bastard:
> *That's not any Guy Gardner. That's Kevin Maguire's Guy Gardner. THE Guy Gardner.*




JLI broke my Marvel Zombie status - Giffen's art was cool, DeMatteis was succeeding in what he failed to do with the sinking ship of _The Defenders_, and Guy was a GL who was a polar opposite from one in the Denny O'Neill mold...

My own favorite Guy period is when he had Sinestro's Ring.  Ten thousand curses on the foul GL editor who decreed that in the entire DC Universe, only Kyle would have GL-like powers...

edit:  I remember seeing a cruel Internet hoax article about the shooting of a Green Lantern movie.   Man did that guy have the casting down cold.  Mel Gibson for Hal, Michael Dorn for Stewart, Denis Leary for Guy.  If only it could be so!
[/topic drift]


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## Viking Bastard (Nov 6, 2003)

Tratyn Runewind said:
			
		

> Hello,
> 
> [topic drift]
> 
> ...



Which, according to rumours, won't be for much longer.


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## WayneLigon (Nov 6, 2003)

Hmmm. Cool., but that will _never be made_, though.. Tough one. 

The first that come to mind are either Lackey's _Vanyel_ books or Lynn Flewelling's _Nightrunner_ series. Both would be very cool; I'd especially love to see the full magical effects from the Herald-Mages.  

The Deryni books would make a very cool movie, but I can see it being made at some point perhaps. Same with some of de Lint's Newford stories. Both those would be, in fact, easy to do from a budget standpoint (not a lot of tremendous sfx, save for a few scenes).


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## Kesh (Nov 6, 2003)

The _Dragonlance_ novels by Weis & Hickman.

All of them. 

*ducks various thrown dice*

These will never happen for various reasons, but the biggest being their sheer size. There are three trilogies and another novel in there, not counting the short stories/novellas in _The Second Generation_ or the Raistlin 'prequel' books.

Maybe the first trilogy could be made, but I still doubt it.


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## Andrew D. Gable (Nov 6, 2003)

A *good* version of The Jewel of Seven Stars by Bram Stoker.  You know, one of the things _other_ than Dracula that he wrote.

The retro-geek inner child in me wants to see Lone Wolf made into a movie, maybe just the first two books with the fight against Zagarna to whittle the movie down to manageable size.  The others later, maybe.


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## Daniel Knight (Nov 7, 2003)

*Pratchett Film*

A Pratchett Film?

In that case you might want to check out www.SnowgumFilms.com.

Only two days left of shooting before it's completed.


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## Brother Shatterstone (Nov 8, 2003)

I would love to see Wilbur Smith's _Birds of Prey_, Monsoon[/I], _Blue Horizon_ turned into movies...  Then again when the dawn of “age of sail movies” maybe a series of privateers isn’t the pipe dream it uses to be.

Another Wilbur Smith series this time set in ancient Egypt, _ River God_, [1]Warlock[/I] and it’s modern day sequel _The Seventh Scroll_. 

John Jakes' Civil War epic, _North and South_, _Heaven and Hell_, _Love and War_...  Got a miniseries in the 80’s but it pales in comparison to the books.

Also anyone looking for something to read don’t hesitate to try any of the above…  They all have something for every taste and gender.  Be it actions, friendship, romance, sex, and/or a small history lesson. 

For straight fantasy, I wouldn’t mind seeing Dragonlance Chronicles on the big screen, I think the technology has gotten to the point where many large dragons would be believable, and rather “inexpensive” to make.

For Star Wars, I doubt you can go wrong with Timothy Zhan's series. 

Oh and an author I expect to be popular in Hollywood any day now is: Vince Flynn, starting from the begining with _Term Limits_ this is an author that hollywood is depsariate for.  (Sort of in the clone of Tom Clancy or Robert Ludlum, but at the same time quite unique)


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## Particle_Man (Nov 8, 2003)

Andrew D. Gable said:
			
		

> The retro-geek inner child in me wants to see Lone Wolf made into a movie, maybe just the first two books with the fight against Zagarna to whittle the movie down to manageable size.  The others later, maybe.




Lone Wolf and Cub was made into a series of Japanese movies.  Apparently (I have never seen them) the acting by Lone Wolf and the Cub was spot on, but the plot was mangled egregiously.  Still, might be worth checking out (it was mentioned in the back of one of the chapbook collections of Lone Wolf and Cub, and probably could be found after an internet search).


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## Fast Learner (Nov 9, 2003)

Definitely Zelazny's _Amber_, though yes, it might have to be a miniseries. Some rejiggering of the plot, though, done by a good writer could retain 98% of everything and still break it into 3 movies, I think.

And a good D&D movie would be wonderful.


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## Ankh-Morpork Guard (Nov 9, 2003)

I would absolutly LOVE to see the X-Wing novels by Michael Stackpole made into movies...they're just great reads and lots of action.


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## Mark (Nov 9, 2003)

I think CGI has come far enough now to produce a movie based on Lord Valentine's Castle by Robert Silverberg and there's plenty of material for a sequel should it prove to be successful.  The nice thing about a book that primarily focuses on the setting is that film favors such stories.  Much of the book text can be captured in a single frame and the plot can be handled more completely as a result.


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## Fast Learner (Nov 9, 2003)

Excellent call, Mark. I'd love to see that, too.


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## Brother Shatterstone (Nov 9, 2003)

Ankh-Morpork Guard said:
			
		

> I would absolutly LOVE to see the X-Wing novels by Michael Stackpole made into movies...they're just great reads and lots of action.



indeed add those books to my list also.


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## Mustrum_Ridcully (Nov 10, 2003)

Brother Shatterstone said:
			
		

> indeed add those books to my list also.



I would perfer the Zahn Trilogy around Grand Admiral Zahn. I really loved the characters there. Though I admit, the action scenes of the X-Wing series would be a great addition. 

Mustrum Ridcully


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## Pbartender (Nov 10, 2003)

Piratecat said:
			
		

> I think it would be fun to see a production of the Stainless Steel Rat.




I'd second that.  Excellent series that I'm rereading right now.

Few others that I'd enjoy, at least...

Andre Norton's _Solar Queen_ series.
Asimov's _Robot_ trilogy.
Asimov's _Nightfall_.
LeGuin's _Earthsea_ series.
The new _Tales of the Otori_ by Lian Hearn would be good too.

I could probably think of more, but those are the one's at the top of my mind.


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## buzzard (Nov 10, 2003)

Pbartender said:
			
		

> I'd second that.  Excellent series that I'm rereading right now.
> 
> Few others that I'd enjoy, at least...
> 
> ...




Be careful of what you ask for. I have a DVD which contains a movie called Nightfall. It has something to do with Asimov's story (though not a heck of a lot). It was found in the bargain bin and should have been left there. 

buzzard


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## uv23 (Nov 10, 2003)

Pbartender said:
			
		

> Asimov's _Robot_ trilogy.



Be careful what you ask for. You might get Will Smith instead:
http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808461628


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## Shadowdancer (Nov 11, 2003)

buzzard said:
			
		

> Be careful of what you ask for. I have a DVD which contains a movie called Nightfall. It has something to do with Asimov's story (though not a heck of a lot). It was found in the bargain bin and should have been left there.
> 
> buzzard



Hell, I paid money to see it in a theater back when it came out. <shudder>


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## buzzard (Nov 11, 2003)

Shadowdancer said:
			
		

> Hell, I paid money to see it in a theater back when it came out. <shudder>




The Horror...the Horror. 

buzzard


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