Thursday 18 June 2009

The Friends of English Magic

Possibly my favourite fantasy novel of all time (and certainly my favourite fantasy novel not written by Jack Vance) is Susanna Clarke's masterpiece Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. So it was a jolly nice surprise this week to come across the news that the movie is set for 2010. And the script is by Christopher Hampton and Julian Fellowes. I don't know how a 780-page book can be turned into a movie, but if anybody can pull it off, they can.

Strange and wondrous coincidences now abound. Remember I was telling you about my friend Mike Levy recently? Okay, well he's over in London tomorrow to meet with Ileen Maisel, whose company Amber Entertainment controls the JS&MN movie rights. And then it turns out that Tom Fickling, son of the DFC publisher and our unofficial editor (and much-appreciated moral support) on the first part of the Mirabilis story, also now works at Amber Entertainment. If those guys get involved in the movie then I'm really encouraged.

I'm still not sure that JS&MN needs to be a movie, or that something as big and complex can work as a movie (look at Watchmen) but it'll be interesting.

So, who do you like for the leads?

6 comments:

  1. I was in touch with Ileen a while back, who told me that they were looking to cast a director back in April, so it seems that it's a couple of months late but progress does indeed seem to be being made :)

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  2. I'd love to see them go with a bold choice like, say, Jeunet or Del Toro, rather than the usual suspects. I'm thinking of how well a director like Alfonso Cuaron on Prisoner of Azkaban was able to capture the "oddness of Englishness" by coming at it from the outside. Pointless to speculate, though!

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  3. Just a quick addendum. It seems that Amber are a development company, not a production company, so although the script is written I'm not clear on whether this project actually has the green light yet. If I hear more I'll let you know.

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  4. EDUARDO PEREZ SALAS31 March 2010 at 03:40

    TO:CARLOS IVAN
    My name is Eduardo.I am a student ant I like to go to school.
    My school schedule is from 7:00 a.m. 13:00 p.m.
    I usually have a lunch at 10:30 a.m. at school.
    After getting home I wear another cloth, have dinner and start playing from 14:45 to 15:30
    then I go swimming from 16:00 to 18:00 p.m.
    There is a part in my school schedule in which we can do what we want.
    During my free time I like to listen music and play in my telephone.
    On weekends I stay at home watching movies.
    This is what I like to do.
    So long and good luck friends.
    EDUARDO 30 MARCH 2010 8:35 P.M.

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