Beaks here...

Everybody's crazy 'bout condensing critically-acclaimed British TV miniseries!

After writing up the new trailer for Martin Campbell's EDGE OF DARKNESS update, I clicked over to Variety to find that Ridley Scott and screenwriter Steve Zaillian are in talks with Columbia to streamline Channel 4's five-hour adaptation of David Peace's four RED RIDING novels (NINETEEN SEVENTY-FOUR, NINETEEN SEVENTY-SEVEN, NINETEEN EIGHTY and NINETEEN EIGHTY-THREE). The narrative is a mostly fictionalized account of the Yorkshire Ripper murders that also delves into the murky morass of police corruption. I haven't watched the series nor read the books, but I've heard they're well worth checking out. I just hope Columbia's plans to Americanize the story doesn't put the kibosh on IFC Films' plans to release the trilogy theatrically this year.

The Channel 4 series was written by Tony Grisoni (best known for collaborating with Terry Gilliam on FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS and TIDELAND) and starred the immensely talented likes of Sean Bean, Andrew Garfield, David Morrissey, Paddy Considine, Rebecca Hall and Mark Addy. Julian Jarrold directed the first installment, James "MAN ON WIRE" Marsh helmed the second, while Anand Tucker called the shots on the third.