Film Adaptations

[Ohwell]

I can see her being Daisy in the Great Gatsby, mainly because Mia Farrow has the same "look" and she isn't beautiful either.  And I agree that that "face" was appropriate for the 1920s.  However, Bathsheba was supposed to be this striking beauty who had men swooning at her feet, and she was pretty vain about it, at least in the beginning of the story.  Carey Mulligan just doesn't have that face.

[Wiendish Fitch]

Hey, if friggin' John C. Reilly can be cast as Stanley Kowalski in a stage production of A Streetcar Named Desire (I swear I'm not making this up), then I think Carey Mulligan can get away with playing Bathesheba Everdene.

[proserpina65]

Hey, if friggin' John C. Reilly can be cast as Stanley Kowalski in a stage production of A Streetcar Named Desire (I swear I'm not making this up), then I think Carey Mulligan can get away with playing Bathesheba Everdene.

Doesn't mean that she isn't miscast in the role, though.  To me, she's coming across as too modern in the trailers, although I didn't have that problem with her in Bleak House so I'm willing to wait and see.  I thought Paloma Baeza was miscast in the tv version, but Nathaniel Parker, Nigel Terry and Jonathan Firth more than made up for that.  (Never have seen the original film version, but Julie Christie was certainly stunning in her prime.)

[Wiendish Fitch]

Doesn't mean that she isn't miscast in the role, though.  To me, she's coming across as too modern in the trailers, although I didn't have that problem with her in Bleak House so I'm willing to wait and see.  I thought Paloma Baeza was miscast in the tv version, but Nathaniel Parker, Nigel Terry and Jonathan Firth more than made up for that.  (Never have seen the original film version, but Julie Christie was certainly stunning in her prime.)

 

Sorry, I hope I didn't sound hostile toward you. I'll always be ornery that John C. Reilly, who's barely attractive enough to play Mitch, was selected to play the role that made young Marlon Brando an icon, so I just wanted a good excuse to vent. 

 

I guess we both have decent arguments. Carry on.

[Oreo2234]

Julie Christie was criticized for being too modern and 60s in her version, all adaptations are products of their time.

Edited May 6, 2015 by Oreo2234

[Ohwell]

I guess, to sum up my feelings, Carey Mulligan is "mousey-looking."  Bathsheba Everdene was not.

[proserpina65]

Sorry, I hope I didn't sound hostile toward you.

 

It wasn't my original comment, but I don't think you sounded hostile.  I can't comment on the John C. Reilly thing because, having never seen any version of Streetcar, I couldn't say whether or not Stanley is supposed to be attractive.  But I would agree that, if so, John C. Reilly would be miscast in that respect, for me.  I do think Carey Mulligan seems miscast in Far From The Madding Crowd, based on the trailers I've seen, but will allow for the possibility of her performance in the actual film being potentially terrific. Trailers can be misleading.  (After all, Revenge of the Sith looked potentially good in its trailer but in reality . . . not so much.)

[methodwriter85]

I wasn't a huge fan of Jems and the Holgrams (I'm 29 and it was slightly before my time), but wow, they took "loose adaption" pretty literally here. The magical element seems completely ignored, which you would have thought they'd keep in so they could try and appeal to Gen Xers and their little kids. Instead it looks like they want this to be some teen drama about finding one's true self.

 

It makes me wonder if Captain Planet will be remade into a 30-something scruffy hipster from Brooklyn who did a few turns with PeaceCorps.

Edited May 13, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Wiendish Fitch]

It wasn't my original comment, but I don't think you sounded hostile.  I can't comment on the John C. Reilly thing because, having never seen any version of Streetcar, I couldn't say whether or not Stanley is supposed to be attractive.  But I would agree that, if so, John C. Reilly would be miscast in that respect, for me.  I do think Carey Mulligan seems miscast in Far From The Madding Crowd, based on the trailers I've seen, but will allow for the possibility of her performance in the actual film being potentially terrific. Trailers can be misleading.  (After all, Revenge of the Sith looked potentially good in its trailer but in reality . . . not so much.)

 

Fair enough. And, yes, Stanley is definitely supposed to be attractive. Young Marlon Brando was just right for the part. John C. Reilly, though? I guess he'd make a good Mitch, but when Karl Malden gives you a run for your money in the looks department, you have no business playing Stanley.

 

 

I wasn't a huge fan of Jems and the Holgrams (I'm 29 and it was slightly before my time), but wow, they took "loose adaption" pretty literally here. The magical element seems completely ignored.

 

I'm 33, pretty much the right age (they showed tons of reruns in the early '90s), and, wow, am I appalled. First off, where the hell is Synergy?! How can you have Jem and the Holograms without Synergy? Why is Jerrica a mopey teenager instead of a self-assured adult running an orphanage? As if the ageism angle weren't bad enough, heaven forbid we have a confident protagonist! Where is deliciously smarmy rival record executive Eric Raymond? Why doesn't Rio have purple hair? And where in the seven veils of Salome are the Misfits?!! It's bad enough you got rid of Synergy, but now the Misfits are gone? Were they afraid that having antagonists would be too depressing? What's next? Othello without Iago? Snow White without the Evil Queen?

Edited May 13, 2015 by Wiendish Fitch

[methodwriter85]

I'm 33, pretty much the right age (they showed tons of reruns in the early '90s), and, wow, am I appalled.

 

I do remember seeing the reruns, but it didn't register with me like Captain Planet did, probably because Captain Planet and Carmen San Diego reruns lasted further into the 90's than Jems. I just vaguely remember Synergy, and Jerrica being an adult and not a teenager-like person.

 

Again though, this makes me terrified about what they might do to Captain Planet.

[methodwriter85]

Emilia Clarke and Matthew Lewis Filming Me Before You

 

They kept Lou's quirky fashion sense. Thank god.

[Rick Kitchen]

It's funny how they call Matthew Lewis a hunk.  He has changed considerably since his Harry Potter days.

[SallyAlbright]

Emily Blunt is in talks to star in The Girl on The Train. I thought the book was a bit overhyped, but I think she would be really good in an adaptation of it.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/emily-blunt-talks-star-girl-800048

[methodwriter85]

It's funny how they call Matthew Lewis a hunk.  He has changed considerably since his Harry Potter days.

 

Well, he's hitting the self-promotion route right now. Holy otter! (Mildly NSFW)

 

I really am so excited about Me Before You. I just hope they don't mess this up. The screenwriters from The Fault in Our Stars is doing this alongside JoJoy Moyes, and I think they can do it justice, but I hope they remember that these are characters that are in their late 20's to late 30's and don't try to make the characters feel more like teenagers. I do not want a wall of catchy indie  pop tunes in this movie.

Edited June 6, 2015 by methodwriter85

[Haleth]

Emily Blunt is in talks to star in The Girl on The Train. I thought the book was a bit overhyped, but I think she would be really good in an adaptation of it.

 

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/emily-blunt-talks-star-girl-800048

Oh, cool!  I liked the book a lot and think it will make a great movie.

[Schweedie]

I just finished Andy Weir's The Martian, and I gotta say, I'm pretty excited for this film. While I was reading, the thought "Yeah, this could be really great on the screen" kept popping into my head.

 

I had one problem, though. I knew the film cast going into the book, and I still couldn't picture Matt Damon as Mark Watney - instead I kept thinking that I wished they'd cast Sebastian Stan in that role, because he was who I pictured. He's completely perfect for that part, and having him in the film playing someone else just seems wrong now.

[raezen]

I just finished reading Ron Rash's Serena. I loved the book and found it really gripping and I won't be even bothering with the film that was panned. I didn't for one second imagine Jennifer Lawrence as Serena but the entire time I was picturing her as Rachel Harmon. I sometimes saw Angelina Jolie and at other times Charlize Theron as Serena.

[ribboninthesky1]

I just finished Andy Weir's The Martian, and I gotta say, I'm pretty excited for this film. While I was reading, the thought "Yeah, this could be really great on the screen" kept popping into my head.

 

I had one problem, though. I knew the film cast going into the book, and I still couldn't picture Matt Damon as Mark Watney - instead I kept thinking that I wished they'd cast Sebastian Stan in that role, because he was who I pictured. He's completely perfect for that part, and having him in the film playing someone else just seems wrong now.

 

What was it about book!Mark that seemed more Stan than Damon?

[Joe]

I only read The Martian after I heard that Damon was cast, so I heard his voice all the way through.

[Schweedie]

What was it about book!Mark that seemed more Stan than Damon?

 

I'm not even sure. I think part of it is that in every interview I've seen with Sebastian Stan he comes across as a total dork (in the best way), pretty similar to how Mark sounds and describes himself, so it was so easy to see him in that role. And he seemed more appropriate age-wise, too, because Mark came across as relatively young to me.

 

I'm sure Matt Damon will do a great job, though. It's just gonna be weird to see the film after having had such a clear image of someone else in the role.

Edited July 5, 2015 by Schweedie

[methodwriter85]

Unfortunately, there's just no way someone like Sebastian Stan would have been cast to lead the movie- it sounds like the budget has to be pretty considerable to pull off, and because it's not a property with a huge built-in fanbase they're not going to just give it to a guy without a box office record.

 

Speaking of casting disappointments...even if the long-planned Sweet Valley High movie was made today, Sara Paxton is now just too old play the Wakefield twins. My heart sank when I saw her on How to Get Away With Murder last year and realized that there's just no way she can pull off 16 now. However, there's a twentysomething version of the books, so maybe it can still happen.

 

Honestly though, I just don't know if it will ever happen. The movie could appeal to Gex Xers and 90's kids who read the books and saw the 90's t.v. series, but it really doesn't fit with the vibe of the popular teen movie adaptions right now.

[Princess Sparkle]

I just finished reading Ron Rash's Serena. I loved the book and found it really gripping and I won't be even bothering with the film that was panned. I didn't for one second imagine Jennifer Lawrence as Serena but the entire time I was picturing her as Rachel Harmon. I sometimes saw Angelina Jolie and at other times Charlize Theron as Serena.

It's funny you say that, because Angelina was attached to play Serena and had to drop out (due to her health issues).

[ribboninthesky1]

I'm not even sure. I think part of it is that in every interview I've seen with Sebastian Stan he comes across as a total dork (in the best way), pretty similar to how Mark sounds and describes himself, so it was so easy to see him in that role. And he seemed more appropriate age-wise, too, because Mark came across as relatively young to me.

 

I'm sure Matt Damon will do a great job, though. It's just gonna be weird to see the film after having had such a clear image of someone else in the role.

 

OK, thanks for the elaboration.  I've not read the book, and was curious to your thoughts on the casting. 

[Constantinople]

I'll be curious to see if/when Go Set A Watchman is made into a movie.

 

If they do make it into a movie, I hope that Jennifer Lawrence doesn't play Jean Louise aka Scout.

[Sara2009]

I'll be curious to see if/when Go Set A Watchman is made into a movie.

If they do make it into a movie, I hope that Jennifer Lawrence doesn't play Jean Louise aka Scout.

Heh. At least that role would be age appropriate for her, but I agree.

It would be jarring to see someone besides Gregory Peck as Atticus,though.

[caracas1914]

As far as adaptations, I think you would have to think hard to better "How to Kill a Mockingbird". The essence of the novel (not the minutae details) seemed transferred intact, especially the core humanity of Atticus and even a young Robert Duvall seems perfectly cast. Scout's neighbor friend with his creepy looks even seems to fit.

[ChaseMCP]

One of my dream adaptation movies I've always hoped for (but will most likely never get) is an adaptation of Sophie Scholl and the White Rose, which is based on the group of German students who opposed Hitler's rule during WWII. Steven Spielberg would direct and Emma Stone would star (because even though she doesn't look like her really, there are some photos of Scholl where they look similar). There's already a great movie about the White Rose called Sophie Scholl: The Final Days, but it's in German and I don't know how large an audience it reached and it's a story that I think deserves exposure. Sure, it's another WWII story, but there aren't many that focus on a female, and this is about Germans who did fight back. And if it ever came about (without Stone, because I have to accept that she's probably too old for it anyway) it would be a great role for a young actress.

[methodwriter85]

 Nicola Peltz is apparently in the running to play Alaska Young in Looking for Alaska. Please god, NO. She is such a goddamn shitty actress, and Alaska actually features pretty prominently within the book as opposed to Margo in Paper Towns. If I have to suffer through 90 minutes of her attempting to "act" as the lead actress I might have to shoot myself.

 

Charlie Rowe though...if he gets the part, that's pretty awesome.

[absnow54]

I actually feel like Charlie Rowe is better suited to play The Colonel (*wipes away single tear that Josh Hutcherson isn't on that short list*) but since I watched a few minutes of that Descendants movie on Disney, please, not this Mitchell Hope guy. He basically played a grinning block of wood.

[SallyAlbright]

Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio are FINALLY making Erik Larson's "The Devil in the White City" after ten years in development. DiCaprio will of course play H.H. Holmes. I could not be more excited about this if I tried-my favorite director and actor making one of my favorite books! Hopefully Billy Ray finds a way to intertwine the Holmes and Burnham stories successfully. The sets alone should be great, with the building of the World's Fair.

 Nicola Peltz is apparently in the running to play Alaska Young in Looking for Alaska. Please god, NO. She is such a goddamn shitty actress, and Alaska actually features pretty prominently within the book as opposed to Margo in Paper Towns. If I have to suffer through 90 minutes of her attempting to "act" as the lead actress I might have to shoot myself.

 

Charlie Rowe though...if he gets the part, that's pretty awesome.

Yep, I am sure she's lovely, but this girl is one of the worst actresses I have seen in recent memory. Just truly painful.

[GreekGeek]

I am looking forward to The Devil in the White City also. Maybe this will be DiCaprio's Oscar role at last?

 

My own particular hobbyhorse is movies based on Greek mythology. Apart from the 1950's Jason and the Argonauts, the ones I've seen have irked me in one way or another. I didn't care for that whole "Kalybos" subplot in the 1981 Clash of the Titans. And calling the sea monster "Kraken" was just wrong; there is no such creature in Greek myth.

 

I'm still amazed that students only know the myth of Hercules through the Disney cartoon. I guess they had to change Hercules' parentage from Zeus and Alcmena to Zeus and Hera because Cheating!Zeus wouldn't have worked in a kids' movie. Ditto for Hercules doing his labors as penance for killing his wife Megara and their kids. ("Meg" was one of the best Disney heroines ever, though.) Hades of Greek myth isn't the baddie he was made out to be in the cartoon (a characterization which was carried over into the movie of The Lightning Thief--arrggh!)

 

I was really bothered by the plot changes from the Iliad in Troy. Killing off Menelaus makes no sense. I also had to wonder about the movie's obsession with cousins--Achilles and Patroclus are cousins, Hector, Paris, and Briseis are cousins--but Aeneas is a random guy picked out by Paris from the crowd to take the Sword of Troy (the what?) with him. 

Edited August 11, 2015 by GreekGeek

[methodwriter85]

Yep, I am sure she's lovely, but this girl is one of the worst actresses I have seen in recent memory. Just truly painful.

 

Even Mischa Barton on the O.C. had some bright spots. This girl, no.

 

I just can't see Josh Hutcherson doing any more teen roles, now that he's finished with Peeta.

[proserpina65]

My own particular hobbyhorse is movies based on Greek mythology. Apart from the 1950's Jason and the Argonauts, the ones I've seen have irked me in one way or another. I didn't care for that whole "Kalybos" subplot in the 1981 Clash of the Titans. And calling the sea monster "Kraken" was just wrong; there is no such creature in Greek myth.

 

But without him, we wouldn't have gotten "Release the Kraken!" - the only decent line in the crappy remake.  lol

[Princess Sparkle]

 

 

I was really bothered by the plot changes from the Iliad in Troy. Killing off Menelaus makes no sense. I also had to wonder about the movie's obsession with cousins--Achilles and Patroclus are cousins, Hector, Paris, and Briseis are cousins--but Aeneas is a random guy picked out by Paris from the crowd to take the Sword of Troy (the what?) with him. 

 

You know what drove me absolutely BONKERS in Troy?  How every single character somehow pronounced Menelaus's name differently.  Couldn't the director have just decided which one it would be and make them all say it that way?  Because hearing some say "Men-a-lay-us" and some say "Men-a-louse" was driving me up a wall. 

[methodwriter85]

Looking for Alaska Production Delayed Until January; Can't Agree on the Lead

 

Translation: Finding a fresh new actress in Cara Delevigne didn't translate to big hit box office for Paper Towns, and the studio is forcing us to find an A-list teen actress for Alaska or else.

 

Although the only teen actresses I can think of that are pretty famous are Hailee Steinfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Elle Fanning, but I can't see any of them working for that part.

[turbogirlnyc]

I am ecstatic to read The Devil In the White City is being adapted. It's long been one of my favorite books. And the fact that Leonardo DiCaprio and Martin Scorsese are involved makes it even better. I wonder when the movie will be released.

[JustaPerson]

Both Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotilard are in Assassins Creed. Which is essentially a video game movie. Those aren't exactly the names you would associate with a video game movie. What's the deal there? I mean, is this an indicator that it's going to be good? 

[Athena]

Both Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotilard are in Assassins Creed. Which is essentially a video game movie. Those aren't exactly the names you would associate with a video game movie. What's the deal there? I mean, is this an indicator that it's going to be good?

We will have to see how Macbeth does. The director Justin Kurzel is directing both with Fassbender and Cotillard starring. I think the latter two signed up because of Kurzel. The movie will be produced by the French Ubisoft and this is the first video game movie adaptation in a long line they have planned. Probably trying to emulate marvel with their control of adapting their own media into films. It's too early to even say how viable that will be.

[manbearpig]

Looking for Alaska Production Delayed Until January; Can't Agree on the Lead

 

Translation: Finding a fresh new actress in Cara Delevigne didn't translate to big hit box office for Paper Towns, and the studio is forcing us to find an A-list teen actress for Alaska or else.

 

Although the only teen actresses I can think of that are pretty famous are Hailee Steinfield, Chloe Grace Moretz, and Elle Fanning, but I can't see any of them working for that part.

 

This is unfortunate. I hope the movie is just delayed and they find a suitable Alaska, but I can't really think of anyone for the role. Think I would prefer to see an unknown in that part, but we'll see what happens, I guess.

Edited September 4, 2015 by manbearpig

[methodwriter85]

As long as it's not Nicola Peltz. Oh my god, I would lose it.

[methodwriter85]

I'm reading "Eleanor and Park" by Rainbow Rowell. It's a lovely book and there's supposed to be a movie adaption, but I honestly can't picture a movie studio right now that would cast an awkward-looking girl with frizzy red hair and a curvy size 12 kind of body and a half-Korean guy with green eyes. Call me a cynic, but I think that's why it doesn't see to be moving forward other than a studio having the rights.

 

The other major problem is all the music and comic book rights they'd need.

 

Honestly, I think if this does get made, they'd put a thin blonde actress in a fat suit and put a wig on her. Or they're just going to totally ignore what Eleanor is supposed to look like so they can cast a hottie, ala Vanessa Hudgens in Beastly. (I didn't read the book but she wasn't supposed to be conventionally hot.)

[Danny Franks]

Both Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotilard are in Assassins Creed. Which is essentially a video game movie. Those aren't exactly the names you would associate with a video game movie. What's the deal there? I mean, is this an indicator that it's going to be good? 

 

Doubt it. The plots to the Assassin's Creed games don't make a lick of sense that I can discern, so I don't see how a movie could do much good for them.

 

One video game adaptation that I am looking forward to (as long as Mark Wahlberg doesn't play the lead) is the Uncharted movie. Those games are principally story anyway, in a modern day Indiana Jones fashion. They could do a direct adaptation of each game and create a franchise, without changing a whole lot.

[Schweedie]

I guess this should go in here - so, they're making an adaption of Greg Sestero's book "The Disaster Artist", which is about the making of The Room, and pictures from the set have started to crop up. I'm not sure what I think yet. Except that Dave Franco looks really, really strange like that. And I just - I can't picture someone actually playing Tommy Wiseau, even if James Franco seems weirdly appropriate for that role these days. I'm having a hard time picturing almost the whole thing, to be honest.

 

Seth Rogen as Sandy should be really good, though. That I can see being a great fit.

[absnow54]

I feel like Tommy Wiseau is the role that James Franco was born to play. Seth Rogen also tweeted a picture of Zac Efron as Chris R and Josh Hutcherson as Denny. I am so oddly thrilled for this movie. I mean just a shot by shot remake of the movie with actual name actors would be hilarious enough on its own. 

[BatmanBeatles]

I wonder who will play Lisa? I so want to see James yell, "You're tearing me apart Lisa!"

[BetterButter]

 

I wonder who will play Lisa?

Ari Graynor

[Schweedie]

I feel like Tommy Wiseau is the role that James Franco was born to play. Seth Rogen also tweeted a picture of Zac Efron as Chris R and Josh Hutcherson as Denny. I am so oddly thrilled for this movie. I mean just a shot by shot remake of the movie with actual name actors would be hilarious enough on its own. 

 

This is the Ed Wood of our time, heh. A lot of the casting is a little weird to me (like Zac Efron), except for James Franco and Seth Rogen, but yeah, I'm also oddly excited. Even though I both look forward to and dread hearing Franco do Tommy's accent. I mean - can you play Tommy Wiseau without making it a caricature portrait?

Reading the book gave me a lot of respect for everyone who worked on that movie and managed to retain some semblance of professionalism. 

[methodwriter85]

John Green has basically admitted that Looking for Alaska is not happening any time soon.

 

I feel bad for him. You can tell how bummed he is. Although really, there are so many problems with bringing that story and making it a financially viable film.

[AimingforYoko]

John Green has basically admitted that Looking for Alaska is not happening any time soon.

 

I feel bad for him. You can tell how bummed he is. Although really, there are so many problems with bringing that story and making it a financially viable film.

Slow your roll there, John Green. You've had one successful adaptation of your books, doesn't mean all your books get to be movies. Who do you think you are, Nicholas Sparks?

[absnow54]

My impression from the video isn't that Looking for Alaska isn't being made, only that the studio that purchased the rights isn't looking to be as collaborative with him as his last two projects. The movie rights for Looking for Alaska were purchased a long time ago when John Green didn't have as much clout as he does now (not that that's a huge amount seeing as he's had one hit adaptation and one moderately successful one.) He sounded more bitter that he didn't have a say in how the movie was being made than worried about the current state of the project.

Edited January 30, 2016 by absnow54