Weitz Brothers making Elric movie?

[WhatGravitas]

Also IIRC in Book V of the Saga while he's travelling with Moonglum while in a forest he comes across and collects the plants that he can turn into the drug. I think this might be the same area near his wife's homeland. This would have taken place before he married her.

I remember the same... it was in the forest, where they picked up Zarozinia.

For the film: Yeah, again - a greatly anticipated film. I want to see it, but I fear the possibility of another Earthsea. Ugh.

 

[sckeener]

I don't see how it can be done. Elric is a complex character and complex characters usually involve internal dialog.

Also being an Anti-hero, it is going to rub the US public wrong.

I think as good as it can get is like Pitch Black and at worse it could be Chronicles of Riddick (aka more Conan.)

Still, I'd go see it....

I think about the only way it could be done is if someone else seemed like the main character like in Pitch Black. In fact if you wrote Pitch Black for fantasy and had Stormbringer kill the girl at the end, I think you'd have a very good Elric story.

 

[WhatGravitas]

I don't see how it can be done. Elric is a complex character and complex characters usually involve internal dialog.

Eh, not really. He's complex, but he doesn't need interior monologue. Some insulting, spiteful words to Stormbringer (without answer, of course), short dialogues with Moonglum... and using symbolism could pull this off, as well - I mean, Moonglum is almost written for short, self-reflecting dialogues.

Also being an Anti-hero, it is going to rub the US public wrong.

Probably. But then, Elric is already specific stuff. It has only a vibe to people, who like Fantasy, so... these people are going to see it, despite being an anti-hero. And, recently, Spiderman 3

Spoiler

had also Spidey going emo for a short period of time.

Not to forget Kill Bill, Sin City. These are heroes, that are less then glorious, at least my perception of them was that.

I think as good as it can get is like Pitch Black and at worse it could be Chronicles of Riddick (aka more Conan.)

Y'know, that "more Conan" sounds... very anti-parallel to Elric?

 

[Cthulhudrew]

I don't see how it can be done. Elric is a complex character and complex characters usually involve internal dialog.

Yeesh- that's the surest way of getting me not to see the movie. Complex characters don't need internal dialogue (see V, in V for Vendetta, as a notable recent example). When movies resort to narration that just completely turns my stomach. It's a movie, you show, don't tell. You want to tell, write a book. You want to make a movie, have good dialogue and actors capable of performing.

Also being an Anti-hero, it is going to rub the US public wrong.

Not sure I agree with you here. Hollywood and the US public have long embraced the concept of the anti-hero: Rambo, Dirty Harry, pretty much every Tarantino character. Heck, they're making a Magneto movie as we speak.

 

[sckeener]

Yeesh- that's the surest way of getting me not to see the movie. Complex characters don't need internal dialogue (see V, in V for Vendetta, as a notable recent example). When movies resort to narration that just completely turns my stomach. It's a movie, you show, don't tell..

That is what I am saying....it would turn me off...

I think of Elric more in his own thoughts than in his actions.....he rarely has a cause like V...and if we mostly focus on action, such as save Cymoril or over throw Melniboné, it is going to seem more conan than Elric.

 

[Sir Brennen]

Y'know, that "more Conan" sounds... very anti-parallel to Elric?

Does anit-parallel mean perpendicular?

As for the "internal monologue" thing... the books were written in pretty basic third person. Voice overs for character thoughts during a scene would be adding something which isn't there. The film would do fine depicting Elric with just his spoken words and actions. I mean, anyone really think complex, conflicted characters can only be done using voice-over?

I could see a voice-over narrative at the beginning of the film, just like Lord of the Rings, to explain "the empire in decline", etc. But that serves a different narrative purpose altogether.

So the inevitable question: who would you cast?

 

[Cthulhudrew]

Jeremy Irons. Great actor, and just do a google image search on "Jeremy Irons" and Morlock to see how he'd look as Elric.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Jeremy Irons. Great actor, and just do a google image search on "Jeremy Irons" and Morlock to see how he'd look as Elric.

See, that doesn't work for me. I like Jeremy Irons (though I still haven't forgiven him for Profion ), but I think he's all wrong. He's too old, he's not gaunt enough, and most importantly he's just got the wrong sort of personal gravitas.

Now, if you want someone who (IMO) more looks the part, is definitely gaunt enough, is young enough to play the part, and has already shown himself capable of capturing the gamut of emotions (from arrogant and evil to Elric's better aspects), you could do far worse than James Marsters.

 

[freebfrost]

Jeremy Irons. Great actor, and just do a google image search on "Jeremy Irons" and Morlock to see how he'd look as Elric.

"LET THEIR BLOOD RAAAAAAAAIN FROM THE SKY!"



Not so much.

 

[Mouseferatu]

Of course, it doesn't matter what we want. Hollywood will cast some currently popular pretty boy--my guess is on Orlando Bloom, if this happens any time soon. :\