Dragonriders of Pern movie?

[Marina]

Warner Bros has optioned the Dragonriders of Pern books. I'd love to see these made into movies! Who would you cast if you could have your pick?

[Michele]

Mostly I don't care much as long as they can act...BUT, they must get someone amazing for Robinton, like maybe Patrick Stewart. Depends on when in the storyline they start, I hear they optioned the entire series.

[Marina]

I wonder if Patrick Stewart can sing??

Someone attractive in a rough-around-the-edges way would be good for F'lar. I'm thinking someone like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

[Jay]

My greatest concern would be that her son Todd McCaffrey retain creative control in any movie or TV series produced, so as to make sure the story stayed true to her vision of Pern.

[Deborah]

Jay D. wrote: "My greatest concern would be that her son Todd McCaffrey retain creative control in any movie or TV series produced, so as to make sure the story stayed true to her vision of Pern."

That would be my preference too. Certainly an exciting prospect, with the visual extravagance of something like AVATAR it could be fabulous - provided they stick close to the books, which are beloved of so many just the way they are.

[Tom]

This is one of my loved series and my hope would be that they did justice to it!

[[deleted user]]

Tom wrote: "This is one of my loved series and my hope would be that they did justice to it!"

“The Book Was Better”: Why Readers of TV Adaptations Need to Let Go (Time.com - mostly Game of Thrones & Outlander.)

[Wastrel]

Commercially, I think it would make more sense to ignore Dragonflight and just adapt Dragondawn instead. SF is more marketable, the characters are more relatable for 21st century audiences, plus the general scenario (colonists settle on planet, discover horrible threat) is something cinema audiences would find accessible and compelling. The more overtly fantasy novels would be tougher to market, I think.

[Sharon]

Marina wrote: "I wonder if Patrick Stewart can sing??

He does have a marvelous speaking voice and I would guess he can. Here's the closest thing I've found online though:

http://youtu.be/Ym3SEV5Kvtw

[Tom]

I accept that movies are another medium and adaptations are just that, you cannot do the book completely, it just is not possible, but there is a big difference between staying true to the book in the theme and story vs just using the name or rewriting the story that bears no resemblance to the book.

[Bittman]

If they do make this series into a film (or a few films) maybe I could finally get into it. I could never get very far into the first book, despite a plethora of many numerous attempts.

[Nick]

I wonder if they will be PG 13 or Rated R.

Couple of themes in the story really could be done best as rated R....

- Thread victims (occasional horror element)
- Dragon mating
- if they go down the theme of the caravan trains being under attack, could have some nice sword fights etc.

[Trine]

Marina wrote: "I wonder if Patrick Stewart can sing??

Someone attractive in a rough-around-the-edges way would be good for F'lar. I'm thinking someone like Nikolaj Coster-Waldau."

Patrick Stewart has a very nice singing voice - he demonstrated it in one of the Star Trek movies (can't remember which one). He is also my ideal casting for Robinton.

I grew up with the Pern books, especially the HarperHall trilogy - I even improved my English tremendously by reading the books with a dictionary by my side. I have long wished for an adaptation - however I would need really high production values to be impressive.

[Bookwraiths]

I agree this is a series that would make a great movie or series of movies like LOTR. But unless they find a Peter Jackson to adapt and keep the movie true to the Pern of the author, I'd be terrified of what we'd end up seeing in theaters. Hollywood just seems to screw up these type of beloved book to movie projects.

[Marina]

It certainly could be a travesty in the wrong hands. Does anyone remember the cartoon version of LOTR? Or the movie of Dune? (I think it was the beginning and end of Sting's acting career!)

Someone like James Cameron to direct, with all the money they threw at Avatar, would be good.

[[deleted user]]

Not to be a wet blanket, but the Pern books have been optioned before and come to nothing. Ron (BSG) Moore and Warner Bros. took a shot at it for TV, but WB didn't like Moore's script and it was dropped. Then, a mid-budget Canadian studio (Copperheart) bought the movie rights but did nothing. So it's interesting that Warner Bros. has come back to it; but the announcement will mean something when they actually have a director, writer or cast member attached.

[[deleted user]]

Wastrel wrote: "Commercially, I think it would make more sense to ignore Dragonflight and just adapt Dragonsdawn instead. SF is more marketable, the characters are more relatable for 21st century audiences, plus the general scenario (colonists settle on planet, discover horrible threat) is something cinema audiences would find accessible and compelling. The more overtly fantasy novels would be tougher to market..."

I agree fantasy movies have had a rather mixed reception lately. "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Frozen" did okay as animation, and The Hobbit has been a modest success on Lord of the Rings's coattail; but Percy Jackson, Eragon, Jack the Giant Slayer, Hansel & Gretel, Oz, Snow White, Immortals, and very recently Hercules didn't exactly set the box office on fire. (I suppose the Thor movies sort of count as a superhero/fantasy fusion.) And the urban fantasy/paranormal romance trying to move into Twilight's slot (Beautiful Creatures, Mortal Instruments, Vampire Academy) didn't click, either.

On the other hand, WB is looking for a Franchise, not just a movie, and there's a lot more material in the Ninth Pass novels (Dragonflight trilogy, Harper Hall trilogy, Masterharper, Renegades, All the Weyrs). Whereas if you do Dragonsdawn, WB pretty much has to make up the continuation (or have a massive jump in continuity) for the sequels they want to create.

Also Lessa & Menolly are younger stars, probably more marketable than the old folks of Dawn.

[Michele]

I think the heart of the overall series ends up being Jaxom and his contemporaries. I would probably start with him coming into his adulthood as a rider and a Lord Holder, Sharra, the Oldtimers, exploring the Southern Continent, learning more about the Red Star. This gives us Jaxom, Sharra, Piemur, Menolly, Mirrim, Sebell, F'lessan, Toric - all at a good age for most audiences, plus Lessa and F'lar, F'nor and Brekke, Robinton, Lord Groghe are all meaty roles for the 40 somethings.

But I'm going to hate it if they try to make it Benden Weyr, 90210, teenybopper crap.

[Wastrel]

G33z3r wrote: "Wastrel wrote: "Commercially, I think it would make more sense to ignore Dragonflight and just adapt Dragonsdawn instead. SF is more marketable, the characters are more r..."

I see your point about the franchise problem (although a really visionary studio could make a series set over centuries (that second pass book, the moreta story, the weyrs being abandoned...)). But I don't agree about characters. Dragonsdawn has appealing child characters (Sorcha, iirc?), appealing young-adult characters (the dragon riders), appealing slightly-less-young-adult characters (the pilot, can't remember her name, and all that romance stuff), and appealing older characters (Benden etc). Everything from cool war heroes down through young explorers to innocent kids.
I definitely think 'Dragonsdawn' would make the best film. You may be right, however, about it not being the best start to a franchise.

[Marina]

Michele wrote: "But I'm going to hate it if they try to make it Benden Weyr, 90210..."

Good God, what a horrible thought!

[Ariel]

Wendell wrote: "I agree this is a series that would make a great movie or series of movies like LOTR. But unless they find a Peter Jackson to adapt and keep the movie true to the Pern of the author, I'd be terrif..."

I certainly agree with this sentiment! Peter Jackson would do the series justice. However, there are so many books in this series, which one would be best adapted to movie? My vote would be 'The White Dragon' as it is based well into the series, but also gives a really good account and background on the first book in the series..

[Suzanna]

Peter Jackson would definitely do the series justice. I'd be excited to see him behind it. But, at the same time, I'm worried that they'll just butcher the books to make the story "more relate-able". And I think "Dragonsdawn" would probably be the best start because it would introduce the world. But they would have to start with "Dragonflight"! (But maybe I'm being biased because that's my favorite...)

[Nerva]

I am happy to find out that they are thinking of making the Pern books into a movie as I think that it would be great, only thing is that they would absolutely have to get the dragons right!

[Ariel]

Well if the dragons are done as well as Saphira in the Eragon movie - there is nothing to worry about! (the Eragon movie was lousy insofar as the book was 'truly butchered' to make it "more relate-able")

[Nerva]

Ariel wrote: "Well if the dragons are done as well as Saphira in the Eragon movie - there is nothing to worry about! (the Eragon movie was lousy insofar as the book was 'truly butchered' to make it "more relate-..."

Nooo! The dragon in Dragon was awful! Smaug was much better. He LOOKED like the Smaug that Tolkien described in the Hobbit.

[Ariel]

YES, but Smaug was so vicious and wild... Saphira is beautiful and full of expression (can't say that about Smaug - though I suppose its subjective). The Pern dragons are not wild... and they have individual personalities. I caanot imagine 'Ruth' portrayed like Smaug! LOL

[Nerva]

I wasn't talking about their character as each would be different. I was talking about the CGI and the look of the dragons. Smaug was better than Saphira in hat he was better designed and more like how a dragon should look .

[Ariel]

@Althus... LOL How "should" a Dragon look??

[Nerva]

@Ariel Like a dragon! All bright scales fearsome teeth and noble. After all they are very old :) very few have ever gotten them right...

[Ariel]

@Althus... LOL ... the word "fearsome" stands out here! Personally, I like to think of dragons as 'courageous, beautiful, fiery and lovable'...

[Nerva]

@Ariel That to! I guess what I object to with how dragons are often betrayed in movies is that they betrayed at lizards with wings... They just can't do that to the Pern dragons!

[Ariel]

I agree with you Althus! Pern dragons are "special"!! My favourite is Ruth - I always favour the runts of litters :-)

[Nerva]

Lol I just love dragons, they are partly why I love fantasy to such. That and the magic and adventure!

[[deleted user]]

Ariel wrote: "I like to think of dragons as 'courageous, beautiful, fiery and lovable'...."

This is a myth started by dragons themselves so they could increase the amount of tasty roast human in their diet. :)

[Ariel]

G33z3r wrote: "Ariel wrote: "I like to think of dragons as 'courageous, beautiful, fiery and lovable'...."

This is a myth started by dragons themselves so they could increase the amount of tasty roast human in t..."

LOL!!! Always wondered what my ideal way to die was - now I know! As a fire sign, that is a Magic Way to pass to the next existence...

[Lori]

Marina wrote: "Warner Bros has optioned the Dragonriders of Pern books. I'd love to see these made into movies! Who would you cast if you could have your pick?"

This is the first fantasy series I ever read, I would love to see it become a movie!!! I just hope its well done there's nothing more disappointing then seeing a beloved book/series become a horrible caricature of itself in a bad movie!!

[Natalie]

Lori wrote: "I just hope its well done there's nothing more disappointing then seeing a beloved book/series become a horrible caricature of itself in a bad movie!!"

You mean like Eragon? That movie was horrible, and I doubt that Chris Paolini will allow another book to become a movie after that. Of course- some people say the book was bad, but really- he wrote it when he was 16! Could you do better at 16?

[Wastrel]

Yes.
I never got more than about 40k into a novel at that age (and not much more since), since I had/have a terrible tendency to get bored with things and get distracted by something else. So I do admire and respect the dedication necessary to write a novel at any age. But in terms of the writing, yes, I could have and did write better than that at 16*. I don't think I'm boasting, either - I knew lots of other kids then who could write better than Paolini, both in terms of prose and in terms of imagination. I think one of them actually finished a novel. But his parents weren't in the publishing industry...

*[I suspect I could also write better at 16 than I can now, unfortunately, but that's another issue...]

[Natalie]

Wastrel wrote: "But in terms of the writing, yes, I could have and did write better than that at 16*. I don't think I'm boasting, either - I knew lots of other kids then who could write better than Paolini, both in terms of prose and in terms of imagination."

I couldn't. I knew lots of words, I was decent with grammar, and I had a good imagination; but I didn't know how to get it out of my head and onto paper in such a way that other people would want to read it. And I'm still bad with transitions.

[Nerva]

Natalie wrote: " You mean like Eragon? That movie was horrible, and I doubt that Chris Paolini will allow another book to become a movie after that. Of course- some people say the book was bad, but really- he wrote it when he was 16! Could you do better at 16? "

I presume that he then had it published when he was older, which leads me to asking, why did he not fix it up a little?

[Natalie]

Althus wrote: "I presume that he then had it published when he was older, which leads me to asking, why did he not fix it up a little?"

It was published when he was 18 or 19. Depending on how he was educated- he may not have known that anything was wrong with it. He fixed it as much as he could and then self-published (with his parents' help). Knopf picked it up a year later, so it must have been generally well-received.

[Nerva]

Natalie wrote: " It was published when he was 18 or 19. Depending on how he was educated- he may not have known that anything was wrong with it. He fixed it as much as he could and then self-published (with his parents' help). Knopf picked it up a year later, so it must have been generally well-received."

They may have been well received but they still had plot holes the Mac trucks could drive through with room to spare. Anyway the publishers should have told him to fix it and told him what was wrong, all books that are traditionally published are proof read and read by teams of publishers that are paid to pick up on things like Mac sized plot holes...

[Natalie]

Althus wrote: "They may have been well received but they still had plot holes the Mac trucks could drive through with room to spare. Anyway the publishers should have told him to fix it and told him what was wrong, all books that are traditionally published are proof read and read by teams of publishers that are paid to pick up on things like Mac sized plot holes... "

Actually- you'd be surprised at the things that fall through the cracks. I think the author has to be the aggressive one to keep the publishing rep on his/her toes. Or maybe that is what beta readers are for.

[Nerva]

Natalie wrote: ”Actually- you'd be surprised at the things that fall through the cracks. I think the author has to be the aggressive one to keep the publishing rep on his/her toes. Or maybe that is what beta readers are for.”

This I know already, whole books fall through these cracks and get foisted upon to poor unsuspecting public as torture for unknown sins :-P! Still I think they should do better job at well their jobs...it is what publishers are supposed to do after all.

[Ciara]

I don't care! I'm too excited by the fact this has happened to think straight. For me, it's more important that the movies are done well than who they cast for them (although I can get on board with Nikolaj as F'lar).

[Ariel]

Natalie wrote: "Lori wrote: "I just hope its well done there's nothing more disappointing then seeing a beloved book/series become a horrible caricature of itself in a bad movie!!"

You mean like Eragon? That mov..."

@Natalie.. Totally agree with you! 'Eragon' the movie was Bad in the extreme! Especially the portrayal of the character Angela and Eragon.

[[deleted user]]

RM: I briefly worked on a pilot that didn't get made for the Dragonriders of Pern a few years ago—it was for the The WB (predecessor to The CW), and I was working on Roswell and sold them the idea to do Dragonriders. We'd built the set and designed the costumes and were within a week of shooting, and they sprung it on me that they wanted another draft of the script. And I was young and stupid and said "yes," because I really wanted to get it made, and of course they brought in another writer to do what was supposed to be a “polish,” and he did something that I just hated that totally went against what the book was about.
Then we had a big conference call and they said, “This is what we want.”
And I said, “Well, I’ll do a pass on it, but I’m not going to shoot that.”
And they said, “Well, maybe we’ll just cancel the show.”
And I said, “Go ahead and cancel the show.”

- Ron Moore (interview in AdWeek)

[Ariel]

G33z3r wrote: "RM: I briefly worked on a pilot that didn't get made for the Dragonriders of Pern a few years ago—it was for the The WB (predecessor to The CW), and I was working on Roswell and sold them the idea ..."

Good For You!!! I admire a man who sticks to his principles...

[Marina]

Maybe after the success of Game of Thrones big successful fantasy/sci fi series are going to start looking more attractive to the producers or whoever decides to greenlight these things. We can only hope!

[Nerva]

That is what I am hopeing will happen.