# The Black Company with Eliza Dushku as the Lady



## darjr (Apr 25, 2017)

I'm going to have to bust out The Black Company RPG and give it a whirl. This is awesome. And a TV series as well, something that an do it justice.

https://www.themarysue.com/eliza-dushku-black-company-adaptation/


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## jonesy (Apr 25, 2017)

Interesting. According to Tor.com:


> Dushku’s production company has optioned the ten-book epic fantasy series, as well a forthcoming book titled Port of Shadows.


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## Hand of Evil (Apr 25, 2017)

wait and see


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## Altamont Ravenard (Apr 25, 2017)

Am I the only one who would prefer to see this (and other multi-book fantasy epics) as serious, well-done animated series? This series would be a good candidate IMO, as, say, Steven Erikson's Malazan Book of the Fallen...

AR


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## darjr (Apr 25, 2017)

Uh. Live action for me.


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## Ralif Redhammer (Apr 25, 2017)

Oh my! We’ll see if something comes of this, but it all sounds quite promising. With Game of Thrones moving towards its last two seasons, I think people are definitely looking for materials to make another hit fantasy TV series. I think The Black Company has the right mix of spectacle and grit, so it wouldn’t be completely and horrifically expensive (as much as I love the Malazan Book of the Fallen, for now I think it’s too high-magic to be done as a TV series, and too much material to be done as a movie or movies).

For my part, I always thought of Croaker as looking somewhere between Bruce Spence and Hugh Laurie. Not sure where that came from, as his character descriptions are often pretty minimal.


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## tuxgeo (Apr 26, 2017)

I was hoping Joe Cocker would get a chance to play Croaker _(yeah, I know: more a singer than an actor)_, but it's too late for that now. 

"Cocker" as the "Croaker" would be an obvious draw. . . .


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## Ryujin (Apr 26, 2017)

Sounds like something that I'd like to see but then I remember that the number of books that are optioned, and don't end up making it to production, is like the number of kids who play great basketball, but don't make it in the NBA.


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## Ralif Redhammer (Apr 26, 2017)

So many…Forest of Hands and Teeth, Karl Edward Wagner’s Kane, the Dragonriders of Pern, The Lies of Locke Lamora, Temeraire, all spring to mind.



Ryujin said:


> Sounds like something that I'd like to see but then I remember that the number of books that are optioned, and don't end up making it to production, is like the number of kids who play great basketball, but don't make it in the NBA.


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## darjr (Apr 26, 2017)

Don't break my hopes and dreams.... You.... 

Yea, probably.

Hope not.

Who should play Goblin!


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## Dioltach (Apr 26, 2017)

Apparently the Wheel of Time television series is gathering speed: http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/wheel-of-time-tv-series-sony-1202390897/


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## Ralif Redhammer (Apr 26, 2017)

Hmm, tough call. They’d have to have comedic chops. Maybe Chris Tucker, even if he is too young? If one wanted to ignore the text, which unless my memory fails me describes Goblin and One-Eye as dark-skinned, Rowan Atkinson would work. And I’d vote for Danny Glover for One-Eye and Idris Elba for Silent, to complete the trio of wizards.



darjr said:


> Who should play Goblin!


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## Zaukrie (Apr 26, 2017)

See, I always prefer unknown actors....I am hopeful. Why not be?


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## Mad_Jack (Apr 27, 2017)

Ralif Redhammer said:


> (as much as I love the Malazan Book of the Fallen, for now I think it’s too high-magic to be done as a TV series, and too much material to be done as a movie or movies).




 You might be able to do one or two storylines from it per season, "American Horror Story"-style, but the scope of the novels is just so damn huge, and so much of the meat of the story in the description and internal monologues of the characters, that I don't really think you could do it for television...

I'm personally looking forward to seeing what they do with the BC series, although I'll have my pitchfork and torch standing by just in case, lol.


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## Istbor (Apr 27, 2017)

Ralif Redhammer said:


> Hmm, tough call. They’d have to have comedic chops. Maybe Chris Tucker, even if he is too young? If one wanted to ignore the text, which unless my memory fails me describes Goblin and One-Eye as dark-skinned, Rowan Atkinson would work. And I’d vote for Danny Glover for One-Eye and Idris Elba for Silent, to complete the trio of wizards.




I actually recall as One-eye being dark skinned, and Goblin as more fair. 

I have to say.  I am excited by this prospect.  I am just worried it will get messed up.  These aren't all pretty or attractive people.  Often when we get the little description for a character, they are pretty unremarkable or almost on the ugly side.

My worry is that the cast will not reflect this well. That will sort of ruin it for me. I will remain hopeful though that these gritty mercs won't be a bunch of Bros when the show hits.


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## Ralif Redhammer (Apr 28, 2017)

Man, I really need to re-read the series.

I agree, it just wouldn't be right for it to feature a bunch of young Shannara-style, model-like characters.



Istbor said:


> I actually recall as One-eye being dark skinned, and Goblin as more fair.
> 
> I have to say.  I am excited by this prospect.  I am just worried it will get messed up.  These aren't all pretty or attractive people.  Often when we get the little description for a character, they are pretty unremarkable or almost on the ugly side.
> 
> My worry is that the cast will not reflect this well. That will sort of ruin it for me. I will remain hopeful though that these gritty mercs won't be a bunch of Bros when the show hits.


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## Hussar (Apr 29, 2017)

LOOOOOVVVVVEEE the idea.

Not really fond of the idea of Eliza Dushku playing The Lady.  Umm, bleurg?  Very much not what I picture when I picture The Lady.  Dunno.  I'd have to see it, but, certainly not making me jump up and down with excitement.


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## tuxgeo (Apr 29, 2017)

If having Dushku play The Lady is the price we pay for getting it made -- and Dushku's own production company, after all, is the entity that has optioned the book series, so she kind of gets to go with that -- then I say it's cheap at the price. 

(Those books came out decades ago, and no film/TV adaptation was made, that I'm aware of.)


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## Istbor (May 1, 2017)

tuxgeo said:


> If having Dushku play The Lady is the price we pay for getting it made -- and Dushku's own production company, after all, is the entity that has optioned the book series, so she kind of gets to go with that -- then I say it's cheap at the price.
> 
> (Those books came out decades ago, and no film/TV adaptation was made, that I'm aware of.)




I wonder if that means she is a fan? 

The more I think about it, the more I feel the casting of this has to be pretty particular, and the budget appropriate.  That could be due to being such a huge fan of the work and the world (bought the 3.5 Black Company Campaign stetting book Immediately), but also because there is a specific feel to these characters and world that potentially won't do a heavy adaptation well.


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## Declan Givry (Jul 12, 2017)

Well Eliza Dushku is really beautiful but isn't she kind of too old for the part?
The Lady is described as looking as if she was in her early twenties and Eliza is already 36. By the time the show will get on air she'll be very close to 40.
 As of Croaker, I've always felt that Zach braf could make something great with this character.


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## Jhaelen (Jul 13, 2017)

It's not unusual that actors play roles of characters that are supposed to be about 10 years younger.
And these days a woman in her mid-thirties easily looks younger than a woman in her mid-twenties did in the past, especially if 'past' means the early middle-ages (or its fantasy equivalent).

Finally, according to the wikipedia entry on 'The Black Company', the story covers a time-span of about 40 years. So, it makes sense to use actors that can believably represent the characters at both young ages and old ages.


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## Istbor (Jul 17, 2017)

Jhaelen said:


> It's not unusual that actors play roles of characters that are supposed to be about 10 years younger.
> And these days a woman in her mid-thirties easily looks younger than a woman in her mid-twenties did in the past, especially if 'past' means the early middle-ages (or it's fantasy equivalent).
> 
> Finally, according to the wikipedia entry on 'The Black Company', the story covers a time-span of about 40 years. So, it makes sense to use actors that can believably represent the characters at both young ages and old ages.




Sure, and I agree with the first point you make, however regarding the time line, for a lot of that the Lady is using a LOT of magic.  She is basically immortal and can keep a glamour on the whole time.  It is not until she loses that magic that she again is forced to 'age' as we know it.  And even then, that is only for so long. 

Maybe I don't have a point per say.  Just throwing in my two copper


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## ZippytheSquirrel (Jul 26, 2017)

This pleases me, and I'm hard to please.


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## CapnZapp (Jul 27, 2017)

tuxgeo said:


> If having Dushku play The Lady is the price we pay for getting it made



I am willing to pay this price.

Especially if the show ends up at HBO or other premium cable.



Sent from my C6603 using EN World mobile app


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## Ratskinner (Jul 27, 2017)

I'm a huge Black Company fan....and I am not sure how I feel about this at all. I mean...the Lady isn't even a highly featured character for the books in question (IMHO). More important parts would go to Soulcatcher, Croaker, One-eye, etc. even Limper!* I just hope this doesn't warp things around too much as a vanity effort.

...although I'll still watch it. 


*


Spoiler



Sean Bean should play the Captain...just cause


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## Ratskinner (Jul 27, 2017)

Istbor said:


> I actually recall as One-eye being dark skinned, and Goblin as more fair.
> 
> I have to say.  I am excited by this prospect.  I am just worried it will get messed up.  These aren't all pretty or attractive people.  Often when we get the little description for a character, they are pretty unremarkable or almost on the ugly side.
> 
> My worry is that the cast will not reflect this well. That will sort of ruin it for me. I will remain hopeful though that these gritty mercs won't be a bunch of Bros when the show hits.




I share your fear. A good number of the original company are actually fairly dark-complected or black (or so one might surmise after reading the whole series.) So lets hope for good casting, heck, it would be great if they could cast as many real veterans as possible.

I suspect I will also mourn the loss of all the subtle plot points and interaction of a multilingual/multicultural society and group. Hopefully they find some way around the entire planet miraculously speaking English.


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## Istbor (Jul 27, 2017)

Ratskinner said:


> I share your fear. A good number of the original company are actually fairly dark-complected or black (or so one might surmise after reading the whole series.) So lets hope for good casting, heck, it would be great if they could cast as many real veterans as possible.
> 
> I suspect I will also mourn the loss of all the subtle plot points and interaction of a multilingual/multicultural society and group. Hopefully they find some way around the entire planet miraculously speaking English.




Well there was the trade language of the Jewel cities, that was somewhat 'common' and if they end up depicting time spent while in the northern Empire, then perhaps they only need to be speaking those languages.  Fosberger comes to mind.  You are correct however, that the books to at least mention a plethora of languages.  I think it even hinted at many of the larger city-states that get 'brought' into the Empire have their own tongue, such as Rose and Deal. 

I don't know what they plan to do about this, but I think I can live with them glossing over languages.  My guess would be the company will all speak 'English' and all others, plus some new recruits will just speak whatever gibberish is common in their homeland.


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## Flexor the Mighty! (Jul 27, 2017)

Ratskinner said:


> I'm a huge Black Company fan....and I am not sure how I feel about this at all. I mean...the Lady isn't even a highly featured character for the books in question (IMHO). More important parts would go to Soulcatcher, Croaker, One-eye, etc. even Limper!* I just hope this doesn't warp things around too much as a vanity effort.
> 
> ...although I'll still watch it.
> 
> ...





Yeah she is a secondary character for the first three books if I recall I hope it is't rewritten to have it revolve more around her scenes.   Those first three BC novels are amazing, really hope they get it right.


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## Ratskinner (Jul 27, 2017)

Istbor said:


> Well there was the trade language of the Jewel cities, that was somewhat 'common' and if they end up depicting time spent while in the northern Empire, then perhaps they only need to be speaking those languages.  Fosberger comes to mind.  You are correct however, that the books to at least mention a plethora of languages.  I think it even hinted at many of the larger city-states that get 'brought' into the Empire have their own tongue, such as Rose and Deal.
> 
> I don't know what they plan to do about this, but I think I can live with them glossing over languages.  My guess would be the company will all speak 'English' and all others, plus some new recruits will just speak whatever gibberish is common in their homeland.



I'm thinking more of things like speaking in a language you and I know, but the folks around us don't. Croaker does this a few times. Its a minor thing, I know, but seemed a big part of the flavor to me. Given the books they plan to cover, I don't think they'll get to the antireligious themes of the Books of the South, but i'd worry about those getting cut as well. (And that could hurt the plot a lot more).

I'm also starting to wonder about what will or won't be lost in the transition from diary/journal format to screen. Plenty of stuff (meetings etc.) got glossed over for Croaker to give just the highlights. I think it would be great to do a jumpy fast forward with muffled sounds and Croaker narrating, but directors, actors, and their agents might object to the loss of screen time or importance.

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## Declan Givry (Aug 4, 2017)

Goblin must be played by Danny De Vito


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