By Though few details have emerged, THR reports that Working Title is going ahead with an ‘ancient-in-a-modern-day-setting’ tale surrounding the mythical wizard Merlin. The idea comes from novelist Jay Basu, who will likely write the script for the film. To date, Basu has only one novel and one screenplay to his credit, but he is rapidly expanding his profile with this project and his current work on an adaptation of Simon Lewis’s crime novel, Bad Traffic.Â
After the failure of this year’s The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, which also placed wizards in a contemporary setting, the move seems risky. However, BBC has had recent success with its television series Merlin, about the wizard as a young man. Working Title, a British production company, is likely banking on the interest so recently shown in its own market. Then again, it’s been a few years since Arthurian legend has had the cinematic treatment (2004’s King Arthur) and Merlin has never been the main event outside of television (besides the BBC series, there was the 1998 miniseries starring Sam Neil), so maybe North American audiences will also be receptive to the idea. I’m game for anything involving Arthurian legend.
[via The Hollywood Reporter]
Though few details have emerged, THR reports that Working Title is going ahead with an 'ancient-in-a-modern-day-setting' tale surrounding the mythical wizard Merlin. The idea comes from novelist Jay Basu, who will likely write the script for the film. To date, Basu has only one novel and one screenplay to his credit, but he is rapidly expanding his profile with this project and his current work on an adaptation of Simon Lewis's crime novel, Bad Traffic.
After the failure of this year's The Sorcerer's Apprentice, which also placed wizards in a contemporary setting, the move seems risky. However, BBC has had recent success with its television series Merlin, about the wizard as a young man. Working Title, a British production company, is likely banking on the interest so recently shown in its own market. Then again, it's been a few years since Arthurian legend has had the cinematic treatment (2004's King Arthur) and Merlin has never been the main event outside of television (besides the BBC series, there was the 1998 miniseries starring Sam Neil), so maybe North American audiences will also be receptive to the idea. I'm game for anything involving Arthurian legend.
[via The Hollywood Reporter]