With the biggest classic franchises being pined for film and television adaptions, it would almost seem inevitable that the prolific Discworld series of novels, penned by Terry Pratchett, are set to receive their own TV adaption courtesy of Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content.
The Discworld books began in 1983 with The Colour of Magic, with subsequent novels fleshing out Pratchett’s fantasy world, set on the titular flat planet… supported by elephants… which are supported by a turtle. It’s wild and bold stuff, encompassing all manner of fantasy and folkloric parallels, often offering satirical or novel spins on canonical fantasy and sci-fi authors like Tolkien and Lovecraft.
Before his passing in 2015, Pratchett penned 41 novels in the series, with all manner of spin-off media trickling out alongside the mainline books. It’s unclear at the moment which specific books are to be adapted, though my guess would be a general grab from the treasure trove of content in an effort to mold a manageable and coherent string of episodes.
Pratchett might also be known to fans for his 1990 novel Good Omens, which he co-wrote with Neil Gaiman. That was developed into a miniseries by Amazon Studios and BBC Studios last year.
Pratchett’s daughter, Rhianna Pratchett, is co-director of Narrativia, Pratchett’s production company that holds the Discworld rights. In the statement announcing the partnership with Motive and Endeavor, Rhianna Pratchett assured fans that the books were being “realised on screen in a form that my father would be proud of.”
Hopefully fans will find the production worthy of the legacy, with more news to come.
Terry Pratchett’s ‘Discworld’ Series to Be Adapted by Endeavor Content, Motive Pictures [Variety]
