Cool News
THE DARK IS RISING within 20th Century Fox... no, not Tom Rothman... the book! And it's got some new faces in the cast!
Ahoy, squirts! Quint here. I'm totally ignorant of Susan Cooper's five-volume series THE DARK IS RISING, but the cast of the film version at 20th Century Fox is looking interesting.
Newly added are Gregory Smith (SMALL SOLDIERS) as the older brother to the main character and Christopher Eccelston (28 DAYS LATER, DR. WHO, HEROES) as the main villain "The Rider."
Already in the cast are newcomer Alexander Ludwig as the lead kid, who discovers he's the last of a line of warriors dedicated to fighting the forces of "The Dark," as well as the beautiful Amelia Warner, Emma Lockhart, Gary and Edmund Entin, Jonathan Jackson, John Benjamin Hickey, Frances Conroy and Ian McShane. Whooo...
Any fans of the books out there? Good casting? Bad?
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They were all in one volume. It was a fantastic story for kids (at least I thought it was for older children - the main character were kids). I'm glad its getting attention now and would make a good film because of the mix of fantasy elements and thriller. The books are very british however, and if I was to make a comparison in the film world - I would say, the first Highlander film in tone. It set in reality on a remote village (1970s) near the cliffs with a touch of ancient myth of good and evil crossing into our reality. Then our hero kids cross into the fantasy realm. That would be my best humble description and yes it sounds like narnia books but these are far more darker in tone. I look forward to the movies if in the hands of the right people. Im a brit by the way in case you wondering!!
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I thought this was about The Dark Tower...damnit..
http://dekionplexis.blogspot.com/ -
As we all know, true evil cannot be captured on film.
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read them when i was pretty young and thought they were great...i hope they treat them well on screen - i remember they were quite dark (no pun intended) so i hope they don't kid-ify them as movies.
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but its been years since I've read them. I'm sure that J.K. Rowling read them as well as their are more than a few overlapping themes--except these books are darker and more epic in scope. Plus they have an Arthurian connection in its story. I'm really excited about seeing these movies made. BTW, the Dark is Rising is the second book in the series...There are 5 books in all, but the first can be dispensed with for the telling of the over-all story
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When the Dark comes rising, six shall turn it back;
Three from the circle, three from the track;
Wood, bronze, iron; water, fire, stone;
Five will return, and one go alone.
Iron for the birthday, bronze carried long;
Wood from the burning, stone out of song;
Fire in the candle-ring, water from the thaw;
Six Signs the circle, and the grail gone before.
Fire on the mountain shall find the harp of gold
Played to wake the Sleepers, oldest of the old;
Power from the green witch, lost beneath the sea;
All shall find the light at last, silver on the tree.
This is the story of Will Stanton who discovers he is the last to be born of an immortal race called Old Ones who fight the destructive forces of the Dark in our world. It is his job, under the tutelage of his Obi-Wan character Merriman Lion, to master his powers and retrive the six signs which together form one of the most potent weapons against the Dark (other objects of power in the series include the Holy Grail and a golden harp). The signs correspond with the elements (wood, bronze, iron, water, fire, stone).
Should be an intense flick if they pull it off well. Ian McShane as Merriman? -
Was fairly blown away by them at the time. While not as hefty as the Potter books (of which I felt the need to read only the first), The Dark Is Rising has a strong narrative thrust. But still enough meandering to suit fantasy. ...Oh, but not because I'm a fan, since I'm not that into them, but that the materially would genuinely lend itself to film more than any other fantasy series... Somebody ought to do Zelazny's Amber. The ideas are very visual, and very whiz-bang.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qtsprr-qdn0
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I've always thought they'd make great films - or at least The Dark is Rising should. This series, along with LoTR and the Chronicles of Narnia were what got me hooked on fantasy. I'm very glad they're keeping it British, as there's really no way you could Americanize the stories, due to the Arthurian content (which is heavy).
I concur with Judge Pen, Over Sea and Under Stone (the first book) can be dispensed with without too great a loss, though it is a very good book in its own right. It would be a bit confusing since Will Stanton doesn't appear in it - imagine if the first Harry Potter book wasn't about Harry Potter, but included Dumbledore. It also plays coy with the magic elements - you're never really sure until the very end that anything magical is really going on, although there is a very nice reveal when one of the kids figures it out.
Will appears in all the subsequent books, and each of those would make a solid film in its own right. -
was the first book in the series. I would have liked to see that one done first. The Dark is Rising is still awesome though, so I won't complain.
No offense, but the cast thus far stinks heavily of mediocrity. This one sounds like it's going the way of Eragon. I like Ian McShane and all, but Merriman Lyon is a HUGE presence. You know what it takes to play a character like that? It takes brass balls to play a character like that. (P.S. I'm not saying Alec Baldwin should play him either) -
As this was a longer series I'm curious if they're trying to make the whole series as one film, or just starting near the end with The Dark is Rising. The whole series is a bit long to work into one flick, and each book was a bit short to stand on it's own I think.
Eccleston should be great as the Rider, but then again after his stint as The Doctor I'm a fan of his. McShane should make a good Merriman as he's a mysterious uncle character of some of the characters, and the mentor to Will... and generally fits that wild-eyed big guy mental image I have of McShane.
Spoilerish Aside:
MERriman LIoN = Merlin... it's explained/mentioned/alluded to early in the book series but not throughout, so it's easy to miss.
They're good books, with some heavy Arthurian ties. And as most have noted, darker in tone than most of the "kid's fantasy" series out there. The problem with picking and choosing a book in the middle of the series like this is you end up with the Black Cauldron problem where everything doesn't exactly fit and the story isn't all told by the end of the flick. That said, it was certainly easier to pull out any given Dark is Rising book (or Pyrdain/Black Cauldron book for that matter) and work it into a stand-alone story than it would be to pull out something from LOTR (or some of the Narnia books, though some of those stand on their own as well).
I don't think it'll be blockbuster, it's just too British. But it should be good, and if they don't blow $80M on CGI effects it should be able to make some money. -
is great, but the Dark is the one that follows the clearest hero's journey, and thus easiest to turn into a decent movie first. I guess I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt right now, but I'm a little wary of these mentionings of "edgy" family members and such... hopefully more information will make it clearer, I want them to make it good and stick around at least until The Grey King.
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This series is my favorite of all time. I read these books as a kid, re-read them multiple times over the years, and have read them to my kids. They work on so many levels. Susan Cooper's writing is absolutely brilliant. She draws you into the world she is writing. You feel what the characters are feeling.
I don't think Over Sea Under Stone should be skipped at all!! The mistake so many people make is thinking that this series stars Will Stanton as the main character. It doesn't. It is a story of good vs. evil. We are introduced to the world through a story that just barely touches the supernatural side with the first book. It lets us know where we are heading. THEN we get to The Dark is Rising, where Will is brought into the magical world. There is a connection to the first book, Meriman Lyon. THE strongest character across the series (but still not the star). The third book brings the main characters from the first two together, and they have to learn to work together if they are to triumph. The reactions of the different characters are exactly what the audience feels, depending on who is your favorite. Susan was able to blend the two stories perfectly.
The 4th book brings us even newer settings and characters, with Will as the main character again. This is the best of the series. And the 5th book brings everyone together.
My opinion, film all five books together. Release them every three months over the course of a year. Create a really big event.
Kids, adults ... everyone ... will respond.
If it's done right.
The casting is difficult, and I'll admit that the choices that they have made so far see strange, but the more I think about it, the better I like Merriman. The Rider is perfect casting. And I don't know anything about the actor playing Will.
But first and foremost, DON'T SKIP Over Sea Under Stone.
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The two best directors I can think of for this are...
Kirk Jones (Waking Ned Devine and Nanny McPhee)
or
M. Night Shyamalan
Either would be fantastic. Not that they are involved, just directors who could give this film the right feel (two very different directors, to be sure, but both would work). -
Excellent. In an age of Harry Potter, LOTR, and the Lion/Witch/Wardrobe films, these should turn out to be amazing.
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My sister's boxed set was out of order when I started, so I read Dark first and Over second and no harm done. But when I lent them to a friend I gave Over first and she can't imagine it any other way. I hope they don't make Will the main protagonist of the entire series either... they need all Six to turn it back, after all... but I don't think it necessarily means they will just to start with the Dark. I'm with you, I hope it's good but there's many ways to do it wrong.
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is a great book, but it has a very different feel from the rest of the series. The Dark is Rising will make a better foundation for a movie franchize. If it does well, they'll be more likely to gamble on OSUS.
Christopher Eccelston is great casting for the rider. -
These books are great!!!! Good casting too, especially Eccleston!!
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Feb 15, 2007 11:03:17 AM CST
Anyone who let's The Dark rise sucks cock by choice...
by sledge hammer
...Al Swearengen told me so.
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To play Merriman. I didn't even know that this had been THOUGHT of. Glorious Celtic Arthurian fantasy with each book centered around a season: Over Sea Under Stone on Summer, The Dark is Rising on Winter, Greenwitch on Spring, The Grey King on Autumn and Silver on the tree on Midsummer.
The first is just a Children's treasure hunt with magical undertones but the second takes flight into high fantasy, the third and fourth are filled with grief and pathos and the last is almost psychadelic; crammed with every Jungian archetype in the fantasy landscape; from the Fisher King to the Skeleton Horse. Can Thomas Covenant be far off if Susan Cooper is being adapted? What about Alan garner's Elidor, if we're working for the kids?
Cooper and Garner are the two writers for kids who can actually conjure up high magic without leaving the ordinary world (Britain, that is) with the Black Rider simply walking into your living room disguised as ordinary people.
Magic.
This has made my movie day.
If anyone has any promising information on an INVISIBLES adaptation, I will actually die of geek happiness. -
And I mean pronto! I have a feeling Ledger will be as successful as Katie Holmes was. Why not start out with the best choice possible instead of playing catch-up with the next sequel? And I pre-empt Spyguy's eventual posting on here regarding his suggestion that David Tennant take the role. Nyet, because he doesn't play a better psychotic villain than Eccleston can do.
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Christopher Eccleston: The Rider
Ian McShane: Merriman
Alexander Ludwig: Will
Gregory Smith: Max
Jonathan Jackson: ?? James?
Frances Conroy: the mom?
Gary and Edmund Entin: the twins
John Benjamin Hinckley ??
Emma Lockhart: Gwen
Amelia Warner: Maggie Barnes
anybody care to fill in the holes, or conjecture? -
Your right, that the order you read them affects your perception. Except, I actually read the Grey King first. Since Will has memory loss and is "rediscovering" who he is and what's going on, it worked really well as an introduction.
I think, for me, the main reason to start with OSUS is the big revelation at the end. I'm not going to give it away here, but when Barney makes the connection, its magical. And what an ending. And it gives an immediate connection to the next book. The flow makes perfect sense. Going from Dark backwards will be more of a jolt, IMO.
All that being said, if they can be done well, I can always buy the DVD's and watch them in any order I want to later.
Just make them well!!!!!
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I think Frances Conroy for The Lady and John Benjamin Hinkley as Hawkin/Walker. I think Eccleston is perfect for The Rider...and I agree with Sepulchrave: Christopher Lee would be great as Merriman. If Peter Cushing were still alive I'd say he would be the perfect Merry. Cushing had the "beak" of a nose like Merry is supposed to have. I really like Ian McShane, but not sure about this casting...
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Unequivocal fact.
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Been saying the Amber series needs film adaptation for the last 18 years (sad huh).
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I remember liking it. Didn't know it became a series.
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i forget - was it a prequel, or was it actually the first book in the series? i know it wasn't the first one i read
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I really liked the series, but the casting is weird. Christopher Ecclestion could be cool, but the rest of the casting is a bit uncreative and boring. Hopefully this won't turn into Eragon...
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and i don't mean that in a bad way...it's just that merriman has a great deal of tension and physicality to his character and wasn't exactly written as an 85-year old man. ian mcshane is a BRILLO choice because he's not exactly typical...but he can get into and shape a character marvelously. these were also my favorite books as a child and if anybody REMOTELY resembling shamalamadingdong got their greasy mitts on them, i'd choke a bitch.
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WTF is that? And I too love Christopher Eccleston.
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Sorry just had to say it. I guess in a FOX talkback it just goes without saying.
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Just who in the HELL is Tom Rothman's boss and why hasn't he fired his ass yet? Seriously, all the horror stories I hear coming out of the FOX lot, it's surprising that they ever competently complete movies.
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Why can't the yanks learn that americanizing British fantasy lessens their chance of getting a hit. Turning Will and his family into a visiting americans destroys a vital aspect to the books of an Englishman embedded in English myth manifesting in the present.
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Amber could be huuuuuge. No one is ballsy enough to make a movie that has an anti-hero like Corwin, ambiguously good and evil characters, and ends inconclusively with the main character with his eyes scooped out - or did he get them back by the end? Needs big budget (lots of elaborate sets - a massive sea battle and an Amber that has to be truly specacular to represent the center of all creation. That battle up the stairs of Amber would cost a ton.
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