The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

From AICN:

The Hollywood Reporter's Heat Vision blog is reporting today that Paramount Studios has secured the rights to Ray Bradbury's classic short story collection THE MARTIAN CHRONICLES. Many attempts have been made over the years to bring this book to the screen; there was even a miniseries on NBC in 1980 that was pretty good, if I remember correctly. I always especially loved "Mars Is Heaven!", which still scares even today.

The book was originally in the hands of Universal, who tried for years to get a version made, even with Steven Spielberg producing, but nothing came of it. Now producer John Davis (PREDATOR, and unfortunately MARMADUKE and NORBIT... shudder) has the project, and considering the scope of the story, it will likely be a tentpole film for the studio.

I have the feeling Mars is going to be a popular vacation spot at the movies, based on next year's JOHN CARTER OF MARS and this. Looking forward to this film if it happens; this book has been notoriously difficult to adapt. With a big budget behind it, we may get to see Ray Bradbury's epic collection finally realized on screen.

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I would be ecstatic if this was done right, but I'm not sure how well they can translate Bradbury's fantastic novel to film. I own the mini-series on DVD, but have yet to watch it. I'll be watching this development closely.

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

This only works as a mini series. I loved the book and there's so much going on there's no way it could translate into a movie. I wouldn't mind an update of the mini series, though.

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

This, on all counts.

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

A great book, but unfilmable as a two-hour movie. There are 28 unrelated short stories in it, how are they going to turn that into a coherent film? Maybe they'll try an anthology format - but there's no way they can do that in two hours and do any sort of justice to the book.

Also, I think the Martian Chronicles has a desolate, apocalyptic, elegiac tone that would require an auteur director to nail down properly. Like Nolan, Aronofsky, Herzog, etc. In the wrong hands, it would be a mess. Or worse, utter schlock like that movie A Sound of Thunder.

Back in the 60s, there was a movie based on Bradbury's book The Illustrated Man and it was awful. Came off like a bad bunch of Night Gallery episodes.

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

Uwe Boll?

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

Heh, whoever remembers the miniseries as "pretty good" probably doesn't have a very good memory, from all the reviews I've read.

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

I watched the mini on first airing and thought it was pretty good.

Re: The Martian Chronicles (TBA)
 

I own a copy of the miniseries and while dated by the music, wardrobe and lack of dazzling special effects, it's still an entertaining and immensely enjoyable story. I'm proud to have it in my collection. -kd5-