I was just thinking about the possible Ender's Game film and I began to think about what other books OSC has written that might make good movies.
1) Worthing Saga. The narrative would have to be altered a little bit. The space battles would have to be spread out a little bit more because most of the action is in the first half of the book. They could always downplay the action and focus on the philosophical issues, though.
2) Pathfinder. This book seems entirely capable of becoming a film series if done correctly. I'd be interested in seeing it.
3) Lost Gate. I haven't read this yet, but it sounds to me like Harry Potter meets Norse Mythology. If that's the case, I don't see why it wouldn't work.
4) Robota. This world and the story of it just sound amazing. The premise is a lot more interesting than the horrible adaptation of I, Robot.
What films would you all prefer to see adapted? Granted, none of them would probably live up to the quality of the books, but it's pretty rare that any movie does. Still, which stories do you think would lend themselves better to the screen?
Also, I think Alvin Maker would make a good TV show, but the marketing would need to be pretty good since interest in Native American life isn't really that high anymore.
Posted by C3PO the Dragon Slayer (Member # 10416) on :
Enchantment seems very filmable to me. The only thing that's going against it is that there's already a movie called "Enchanted" about the mingling of folktale and reality.
The Lost Gate could work as a movie, maybe. It is in a tricky demographic situation, though. The main character would be the idol of pre-teens, but some of the events that transpire in the book are beyond PG-13 (those who read the book probably know what I'm talking about, though that scene may not be important to the plot and can be taken out). One of the things about The Lost Gate is that Danny, the protagonist, does some childish and irresponsible things that would look inexcusable on the movie screen, where the audience doesn't have direct access to his mind, as in the book.
Pathfinder? Heck yeah. Though similar to Danny looking like a brat, Rigg could look like a Mary Sue on screen, because the novel gives context that only a novel can give that is important to understanding his character. Perhaps if they made Umbo more important, it could balance things out.
Posted by Rakeesh (Member # 2001) on :
I think the Worthing Saga would be, more or less, totally unworkable as a film but it would be outstanding as a series. Well, for me and the rest of us nerds anyway. I don't know how much widespread appeal it'd have, unfortunately. But as a movie? Too much there, even by 'cut with a scythe and leave it on the floor' movie-from-book standards.
Posted by Stone_Wolf_ (Member # 8299) on :
I always wanted Wyrms to be made into a movie.
Posted by Craig Childs (Member # 5382) on :
Pastwatch -- I think this could be done well
Ender's Game - everyone wants this movie, but I have my doubts it can be done well. Too much reliance on child actors.
Seventh Son - this is the only one of the Alvin Maker books that I think could be easily adapted for the screen, but I'm not sure it works well enough as a standalone novel.
Hot Sleep -- I'd use this as the basis rather than Worthing Chronicle. Could be done as an HBO series, ala Game of Thrones.
Posted by Jeff C. (Member # 12496) on :
Yeah it didn't even occur to me to have Hot Sleep or Worthing Sage as a TV show, but that would probably work better. They could set it up like Lost with the use of flashbacks for all the characters, taking details from the Capitol short stories when dealing with the various key characters. You could just start it off with the battle before Jason lands on the planet with everyone, then flashback to his life beforehand to show his early life.
Posted by Kelly1101 (Member # 12562) on :
Some of his stand-alone contemporary stories-- Homebody. Treasure Box. Lost Boys.
I think the Ender's shadow series would be great as movies.
Some biblical-themed movies based on his Women of Genesis series could be really cool if done right.
Also re-reading (for the first time) the Homecoming saga right now, and I could see how it could maybe work as a trilogy, with the books shuffled/condensed and maybe the last book left off entirely.