Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc)

Dr. DVD · 11-19-09, 05:45 PM

While most anticipated movies nowadays come from huge marketing campaigns, there are some I anticipated before any deals were made to even shoot them. Most of these would be adaptations of material or something you just thought would be cool to see on the big screen. FWIW, let's not include the Star Wars prequels, as they were something that came from an already established series.

Examples for me:

Lord of the Rings- wanted to see it on the big screen once I finished reading the books, which was a good eight years prior to the first movie being released.

Spider-Man-was waiting for a big-screen version since I was eight years old; 25 when the movie finally hit.

EDIT: I meant for the thread to say "Movies You Anticipated" as opposed to just "Movies Anticipated", as it will be different for everyone.

Rockmjd23 · 11-19-09, 07:18 PM

Every Michael Crichton or John Grisham book that became a movie.

Superboy · 11-19-09, 07:21 PM

Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day. I thought it was just a dumb name and was never going to materialize into a movie.

Solid Snake PAC · 11-19-09, 07:24 PM

Spider-Man
X-Men
Expendables (I dreamed of movies like this)

KillerCannibal · 11-19-09, 07:47 PM

I'll bet many people, not myself though, were pretty pumped for Star Wars I-III. We know how that turned out, though.

I always anticipated a third Re-Animator. Again, we all saw how that turned out, though.

TimeandTide · 11-19-09, 09:45 PM

The Road.

My all-time favorite book.

And Black Hawk Down (my second favorite book).

PopcornTreeCt · 11-19-09, 10:30 PM

Assassin's Creed

I really hope they make a movie.

Ash Ketchum · 11-19-09, 10:47 PM

I guess none of you are old enough to remember all the clamor for a Star Trek movie once the original series was canceled (1969). I went to Star Trek conventions in the '70s and the talk was always about when the movie would get made. But at that point, Paramount had yet to approve a script, even though many top sci-fi names had submitted scripts. Harlan Ellison was always on hand to share his war stories. I remember one person, probably Ellison, lamenting that the movie would never get made.

Of course, a few years later, in 1979, ten years after the series was canceled, we got STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, with the entire original cast on board. Still my favorite of the Star Trek movies, heads-and-tails above the others.

And, of course, much anticipated.

gryffinmaster · 11-19-09, 11:08 PM

I had been waiting quite a while for an adaptation of Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising". I'm still waiting for a good one.

Watchmen would probably fit in that list.

Cosmic Bus · 11-20-09, 12:13 AM

I've been waiting for almost ten years for the adaptation of Motherless Brooklyn that Edward Norton is supposedly working on.

mcfly · 11-20-09, 12:26 AM

Ghostbusters III since 1996. That was the first thing I ever typed in to the internet. I remember searching alta vista and seeing the numerous rumors out there as well as its "Development Hell" status on Corona Coming Attractions. Almost 14 years later and its finally going to be a reality.

Boondock Saints II is another one since I recall when Duffy announced it initially back in 2002. Well worth the wait but damn I was still in high school anticipating it.

Charlie Goose · 11-20-09, 01:07 AM

STILL waiting for someone to film A Confederacy of Dunces. Thank god it wasn't done with Will Ferrell as rumored a few years ago.

Back in the late 70s, Adam West was pushing hard to be Batman again and I waited for years for it to come out.

E. Honda · 11-20-09, 03:52 AM

Memoirs of a Geisha

Giantrobo · 11-20-09, 04:35 AM

"Deadworld" (Living Dead comic book series)...I had heard that George Clooney bought the rights years ago but I've yet to hear of it being made. EDIT: Wiki says the movie was announced in 2009. I'll believe it when I see it.

"The Rising" (Book about the Living Dead by Brian Keene)...I've heard things over the years about it being a movie but so far nothing.

rw2516 · 11-20-09, 08:43 AM

Back in the 80s saw Arnold on Tonight Show. Talked about how his next movie was "Sgt. Rock" based on the DC comic. Never happened. Predator came next.

The Sword And The Sorcerer sequel.

12thmonkey · 11-20-09, 08:57 AM

In the mid-80s I remember reading an article about interesting screenplays being shopped around that were going nowhere in development, and one of them was about a guy who answers a payphone in downtown Los Angeles and finds out the nukes have been launched.

I was always intrigued by that concept, and a few later Miracle Mile was finally made.

MrSmearkase · 11-20-09, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solid Snake PAC

Expendables (I dreamed of movies like this)

This.

One of my most anticipated of 2010. It's like fantasy casting from when I was 14.

toddly6666 · 11-20-09, 09:46 AM

Come on Hollywood - you are adapting many of the Philip K. Dick books. Now do more Arthur C. Clarke already!

Hokeyboy · 11-20-09, 10:06 AM

Hmmm...

Batman (1989) was GINORMOUS for me. I was 17 when it started filming, a lifelong comics nerd (especially DC, I liked Marvel but it was never the same form me). I read The Dark Knight Returns, Year One, The Killing Joke, and Death In The Family issue by issue as they came out (well, 1 issue with TKJ, but you get the picture).

I think it was the summer of 1988, no Internet, no forums, nothing, and I read in the local paper that Keaton had been cast as Batman and Nicholson as the Joker. My brother and I cheered over the Nicholson casting and puzzled over the Keaton. Then over the course of the next year ALL you heard was rumors, little bits here and there, something about Batman and his metallic battle armor, etc. The salivation that was rising over this film was absolutely UNREAL, and not just among the nerds but the general public as well.

The film was huge. I liked it, but was disappointed at the same time with the shitty plot that made no sense, and lack of focus on Batman. Probably too much anticipation, but even watching the film recently the same problems were there.

HARRY POTTER was a huge anticipation as well, and I liked it (but didn't love it). LORD OF THE RINGS was also up there as well, and probably had the largest anticipation-to-payoff ratio. At least the first one. THE TWO TOWERS was good but a bit disappointing and RETURN OF THE KING was very good but self-indulgent to the point of madness.

I still wanna see them do ATLAS SHRUGGED, so a bunch of Internet dorks can suddenly and instantly show off their superficial-at-best understanding of objectivism and start parading it around the Internet like it's some awesome new discovery (like they did with Lord of the Rings... "ZOMG did you know Zepplin [sic] wrote a bunch of songs about LOTR?!!11!!/1!?!11!/111")

Hokeyboy · 11-20-09, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toddly6666

Come on Hollywood - you are adapting many of the Philip K. Dick books. Now do more Arthur C. Clarke already!

God I'd kill to see GOOD adaptations of either. Also Simmons's "Hyperion" cycle and Ellison's unproduced "I, Robot" screenplay.

MScottM · 11-20-09, 10:19 AM

Can't beleive that no one has said Ender's Game. I have been anticipating that movies for about 20 years now. I read the book and immediately wished that they would do a "good" movie about it. Hopefully it will be made withing the next 5 to 10 years.

KillerCannibal · 11-20-09, 11:24 AM

It looks like we've gone from "films you waited to be made" to "films I want to see made".

I'd love to see a good, under 4-hour version of Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles".

toddly6666 · 11-20-09, 11:57 AM

Well, I know that Childhood's End and Rama books have been in Developmental Hell over the years. Childhood's End was pursued by movie producers 50 years ago, I'm not sure what happened. The Rama books had Darren Aaronofsky and Morgan Freeman attached at one point...

Matthew Ackerly · 11-20-09, 12:28 PM

King's The Dark Tower

Looks like I'll be continuing to wait for this one for awhile...

d2cheer · 11-20-09, 12:37 PM

Jurrassic Park, after reading the book I had hoped they would make it into a movie.

11-19-09, 05:45 PM	#1
Dr. DVD DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 13,036	Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) While most anticipated movies nowadays come from huge marketing campaigns, there are some I anticipated before any deals were made to even shoot them. Most of these would be adaptations of material or something you just thought would be cool to see on the big screen. FWIW, let's not include the Star Wars prequels, as they were something that came from an already established series. Examples for me: Lord of the Rings- wanted to see it on the big screen once I finished reading the books, which was a good eight years prior to the first movie being released. Spider-Man-was waiting for a big-screen version since I was eight years old; 25 when the movie finally hit. EDIT: I meant for the thread to say "Movies You Anticipated" as opposed to just "Movies Anticipated", as it will be different for everyone. __________________ “The time will come, the election will come, when your work and your ballots will change the world, and it’s worth fighting for,” -John Kerry's concession speech

11-19-09, 07:18 PM	#2
Rockmjd23 DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: MA Posts: 14,497	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Every Michael Crichton or John Grisham book that became a movie.

11-19-09, 07:21 PM	#3
Superboy DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: So Cal Posts: 3,771	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Boondock Saints II: All Saint's Day. I thought it was just a dumb name and was never going to materialize into a movie. __________________ "We would have injected vitamin C if only they had made it illegal" - Renton, Trainspotting

11-19-09, 07:24 PM	#4
Solid Snake PAC DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Denton, Tx Posts: 4,041	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Spider-Man X-Men Expendables (I dreamed of movies like this)

11-19-09, 07:47 PM	#5
KillerCannibal DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 8,061	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) I'll bet many people, not myself though, were pretty pumped for Star Wars I-III. We know how that turned out, though. I always anticipated a third Re-Animator. Again, we all saw how that turned out, though. __________________ Top 10 most-wanted BD titles:Blue Velvet/Once Upon A Time in the West/Jaws/Mulholland Dr./Battle Royale/Videodrome/Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ('74)/Beyond the Valley of the Dolls/Phantasm/Death Wish

11-19-09, 09:45 PM	#6
TimeandTide DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Rancho Cucamonga Posts: 2,576	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) The Road. My all-time favorite book. And Black Hawk Down (my second favorite book).

11-19-09, 10:30 PM	#7
PopcornTreeCt DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 15,575	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Assassin's Creed I really hope they make a movie. __________________

11-19-09, 10:47 PM	#8
Ash Ketchum DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 1,102	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) I guess none of you are old enough to remember all the clamor for a Star Trek movie once the original series was canceled (1969). I went to Star Trek conventions in the '70s and the talk was always about when the movie would get made. But at that point, Paramount had yet to approve a script, even though many top sci-fi names had submitted scripts. Harlan Ellison was always on hand to share his war stories. I remember one person, probably Ellison, lamenting that the movie would never get made. Of course, a few years later, in 1979, ten years after the series was canceled, we got STAR TREK: THE MOTION PICTURE, with the entire original cast on board. Still my favorite of the Star Trek movies, heads-and-tails above the others. And, of course, much anticipated. __________________ "The decision to serve alcohol at Disneyland Paris helped turn that resort into a financial success." - New York Times, Nov. 4, 2009

11-19-09, 11:08 PM	#9
gryffinmaster DVD & Video Game Reviewer Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Floating on a raft with a penguin, a cougar, and one crabby llama. Posts: 3,279	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) I had been waiting quite a while for an adaptation of Susan Cooper's "The Dark is Rising". I'm still waiting for a good one. Watchmen would probably fit in that list. __________________ "He thought each memory recalled must do some violence to its origins. As in a party game. Say the words and pass it on. So be sparing. What you alter in the remembering has yet a reality, known or not." -- Cormac McCarthy's The Road Thomas Spurlin, Staff Reviewer -- DVDTalk Reviews \| Thomas' Cinema Musings \| Twitter

11-20-09, 12:13 AM	#10
Cosmic Bus DVD Talk Platinum Edition Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: The Adirondacks Posts: 3,127	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) I've been waiting for almost ten years for the adaptation of Motherless Brooklyn that Edward Norton is supposedly working on.

11-20-09, 12:26 AM	#11
mcfly DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: California Posts: 5,976	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Ghostbusters III since 1996. That was the first thing I ever typed in to the internet. I remember searching alta vista and seeing the numerous rumors out there as well as its "Development Hell" status on Corona Coming Attractions. Almost 14 years later and its finally going to be a reality. Boondock Saints II is another one since I recall when Duffy announced it initially back in 2002. Well worth the wait but damn I was still in high school anticipating it. __________________ "I think, Lisa, that you've been taken in by an obvious forgery. Unfortunately, historical research is plagued by this sort of hoax -- the so-called confession. It's just as fake as the Howard Hughes will, the Hitler Diaries, or the Emancipation Retraction." *"You won't be seeing any prison movies where you're going - prison!"*

11-20-09, 01:07 AM	#12
Charlie Goose DVD Talk Legend Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Sesame Street (the apt. next to Bob's) Posts: 15,906	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) STILL waiting for someone to film A Confederacy of Dunces. Thank god it wasn't done with Will Ferrell as rumored a few years ago. Back in the late 70s, Adam West was pushing hard to be Batman again and I waited for years for it to come out. __________________ Ohwa Tagu Siam

11-20-09, 03:52 AM	#13
E. Honda Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 781	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Memoirs of a Geisha __________________ Serves her right for cockteasing me and setting me up with a drunken Oompa-Loompa - Turd Ferguson I twikoff to kitty porn - from a poll by D.Pham00

11-20-09, 04:35 AM	#14
Giantrobo DVD Talk Hero Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: TORRANCE, CA Posts: 42,143	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) "Deadworld" (Living Dead comic book series)...I had heard that George Clooney bought the rights years ago but I've yet to hear of it being made. EDIT: Wiki says the movie was announced in 2009. I'll believe it when I see it. "The Rising" (Book about the Living Dead by Brian Keene)...I've heard things over the years about it being a movie but so far nothing. __________________ XBOX Gamertag: Giantrobo On my 3rd 360 as of 9/27/2007 Last edited by Giantrobo; 11-20-09 at 04:41 AM.

11-20-09, 08:43 AM	#15
rw2516 DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,828	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Back in the 80s saw Arnold on Tonight Show. Talked about how his next movie was "Sgt. Rock" based on the DC comic. Never happened. Predator came next. The Sword And The Sorcerer sequel.

11-20-09, 08:57 AM	#16
12thmonkey DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Frankfort, IL Posts: 5,766	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) In the mid-80s I remember reading an article about interesting screenplays being shopped around that were going nowhere in development, and one of them was about a guy who answers a payphone in downtown Los Angeles and finds out the nukes have been launched. I was always intrigued by that concept, and a few later Miracle Mile was finally made. __________________ My DVD Collection Free The West Memphis Three Eamus Catuli! Zerstörung durch Fortschritte der Technologie Facebook

11-20-09, 09:46 AM	#18
toddly6666 DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,710	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Come on Hollywood - you are adapting many of the Philip K. Dick books. Now do more Arthur C. Clarke already! __________________ Click here to see a DVD-buying addiction of animation, superhero, and foreign films.

11-20-09, 10:06 AM	#19
Hokeyboy DVD Talk Limited Edition Join Date: Oct 2001 Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL Posts: 6,683	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Hmmm... Batman (1989) was GINORMOUS for me. I was 17 when it started filming, a lifelong comics nerd (especially DC, I liked Marvel but it was never the same form me). I read The Dark Knight Returns, Year One, The Killing Joke, and Death In The Family issue by issue as they came out (well, 1 issue with TKJ, but you get the picture). I think it was the summer of 1988, no Internet, no forums, nothing, and I read in the local paper that Keaton had been cast as Batman and Nicholson as the Joker. My brother and I cheered over the Nicholson casting and puzzled over the Keaton. Then over the course of the next year ALL you heard was rumors, little bits here and there, something about Batman and his metallic battle armor, etc. The salivation that was rising over this film was absolutely UNREAL, and not just among the nerds but the general public as well. The film was huge. I liked it, but was disappointed at the same time with the shitty plot that made no sense, and lack of focus on Batman. Probably too much anticipation, but even watching the film recently the same problems were there. HARRY POTTER was a huge anticipation as well, and I liked it (but didn't love it). LORD OF THE RINGS was also up there as well, and probably had the largest anticipation-to-payoff ratio. At least the first one. THE TWO TOWERS was good but a bit disappointing and RETURN OF THE KING was very good but self-indulgent to the point of madness. I still wanna see them do ATLAS SHRUGGED, so a bunch of Internet dorks can suddenly and instantly show off their superficial-at-best understanding of objectivism and start parading it around the Internet like it's some awesome new discovery (like they did with Lord of the Rings... "ZOMG did you know Zepplin [sic] wrote a bunch of songs about LOTR?!!11!!/1!?!11!/111") __________________ Further proof that you are an asshole. Posting to the board something that was sent via PM. -- Wolf 359 VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE ALBUMS BY YOUR FAVORITE ARTISTS/BANDS! (Please?)

11-20-09, 10:19 AM	#21
MScottM Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Southern Maryland Posts: 540	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Can't beleive that no one has said Ender's Game. I have been anticipating that movies for about 20 years now. I read the book and immediately wished that they would do a "good" movie about it. Hopefully it will be made withing the next 5 to 10 years. __________________ my_dvdaf_list

11-20-09, 11:24 AM	#22
KillerCannibal DVD Talk Hall of Fame Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Orange County, CA Posts: 8,061	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) It looks like we've gone from "films you waited to be made" to "films I want to see made". I'd love to see a good, under 4-hour version of Bradbury's "The Martian Chronicles". __________________ Top 10 most-wanted BD titles:Blue Velvet/Once Upon A Time in the West/Jaws/Mulholland Dr./Battle Royale/Videodrome/Godzilla vs. Mechagodzilla ('74)/Beyond the Valley of the Dolls/Phantasm/Death Wish

11-20-09, 11:57 AM	#23
toddly6666 DVD Talk Ultimate Edition Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 4,710	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Well, I know that Childhood's End and Rama books have been in Developmental Hell over the years. Childhood's End was pursued by movie producers 50 years ago, I'm not sure what happened. The Rama books had Darren Aaronofsky and Morgan Freeman attached at one point... __________________ Click here to see a DVD-buying addiction of animation, superhero, and foreign films.

11-20-09, 12:28 PM	#24
Matthew Ackerly DVD Talk Special Edition Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,652	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) King's The Dark Tower Looks like I'll be continuing to wait for this one for awhile...

11-20-09, 12:37 PM	#25
d2cheer DVD Talk Gold Edition Join Date: Dec 1999 Posts: 2,941	Re: Movies Anticipated Before They Were Even Movies (adaptations, etc) Jurrassic Park, after reading the book I had hoped they would make it into a movie.