Whats next for fantasy genre?

[preacher]

Okay. LOTR is about a week from its movie debut. An event that I will proudly admit I have been looking forward to ever it was just a rumor back about four years ago. I've watched a TV special on the sci-fi channel that was on Sunday. If I remember correctly it as titled "The Passage to Middle Earth". Very good special and when LOTR comes out of DVD (unless the director does a Lucas and opts to release it in five years) this special will likely be included on the DVD set. But I digress.

Xmen and Blade revitalized the superhero genre and because of that we get to see Spiderman next summer, and the following year Hulk, Daredevil, and later after that Ghostrider.

Lets face it. The fantasy genre has never been accepted into the mainstream the way that sci-fi space odysseys have been. That has been because of Star Wars in a large part, but also because of Alien, Star Trek, Black Hole, etc. Last years D&D sucked beyond suck. Dragonslayer from days of old was really excellent, but very few fantasy movies have had that "pop". Maybe you could include Conan. Although classifying Conan as fantasy is arguable. Sadly fantasy has not been given the respect it deserts. There isn't a doubt that LOTR is going to kick rear. I'm looking forward to it more than AOTC (forgive my blesphemy). But will LOTR energize the fantasy genre enough to make hollywood execs interested in making other fantasy movies? Yes, I know that there will be LOTR clones. Any big money maker will have its sure of like followers, but will the execs "get it" finally?

Hypothetically lets say hollywood does realize that movies about a particular genre should be directed and produced by people that understand the characters, environment, and history in a particular story. No more Batman by Joel Shumacher for gods sake! Following that line of reasoning what other fantasy stories do you guys think are worthy of the big screen.

Here's my list:

1)Belgariad series by David Eddings (Pawn of Prophecy) (Queen of Sorcery) (Castle of Wizardry) etc.
2)The Deathgate Cycle (Dragon Wing)(Elven Star)(Fire Sea) etc.
3)Dragonlance
4)Magic the Gathering

Thoughts?

[Wolfwood319]

I too have been looking forward to LOTR more so than any new Star Wars movie ever. LOTR is just something incredible, and let's face it, in the last years, Star Wars has been less then that.

We will definately see more comic based movies like the aforementioned titles. But I think that any fantasy we get will be completely new. We have 3 Lotr movies in 3 years, not to mention Harry Potter, which is also fantasy, has a huge following as well as a few more movies in the works.

But for the most part, fantasy movies come off really tacky and boring, and uninspired or really crappy and loaded with half-assed special effects (D&D).

It'd be nice to see films like the one's mentioned in the previous post, but those don't have the following or the notoriety of LOTR. LOTR was first, and most people know of them, but other than that, I can't see too many people wanting to see a movie based on Magic the Gathering other than fans of the game and/or genre.

[El Chuxter]

I saw something on one of those entertainment shows that was talking about the LOTR films, and it showed CS Lewis. I was in the other room and couldn't hear the voice-over, but I wondering if Narnia could be next. My fingers are crossed--just as long as they don't dumb it down for kids like the previous film versions have been. If kids can swallow the novels, they can watch a faithful film version. Who's for James Earl Jones as the voice of Aslan?

And I'd kill (okay, I exaggerate) to see a more "mature" film version of Lloyd Alexander's Chronicles of Prydain. Christopher Walken as the Horned King!

[Wolfwood319]

Man, ya'll greedy!

Im glad as spitfire that we got LOTR! And all you guys want is more more more!

With the next 3 years being LOTR oriented, and they look absolutely jaw-dropping, I can't think of anything else I'm looking forward to as much as LOTR. I've been wanting to see this movie since I read the books all those years ago. And we finally got it. I wasn't this hyped for E1. E2 is nice and all, but this is something completely new. And with the way the new SW trilogy is heading, it wouldn't surprise me if in the end I end up liking LOTR more than the new Star Wars.

[Rollo Tomassi]

I wanna see the Prydian series, too!!

I also want to see C.S. Lewis' "Chronicles of Narnia" (Is anybody else a teeny bit peeved that they reordered the numbering of the books into "chronological" order? I saw they are bringing these to the screen, but they are doing the "second" book first: "The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe." HELLO! That is the FIRST book, not that crummy Magician's Nephew one.. )

I would like to see Chelsea Quinn Yarbro's St germaine vampire novels turned into films. They are way better than those crappola Anne Rice books.

And finally, I would like to see Piers Anthony's Xanth novels on the big screen!!

[El Chuxter]

I found the Narnia renumbering odd as well. I read them only a few months ago, but had an old set that my mom gave me long ago. I liked the "jumping around" in chronology and only learned about the revisionist ordering after I finished the series. I actually enjoyed Magician's Nephew, but it wasn't quite on par with some of the other books.

With seven books--even if the somewhat extraneous Horse and His Boy were cut--this would be a hard series to film.

[bigbarada]

So is it confirmed that we will be seeing a Chronicles of Narnia movie series? If so cool! I've wanted to see a live action version of these stories since I was a kid! Let me reiterate, I've wanted to see a GOOD live action version of this since I was a kid. Not that crappy PBS version with all the cartoon centaurs and stuff.

The old 'Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe' cartoon was pretty cool and it's what got me interested in the Narnia books in the first place. I remember crying my eyes out when Aslan got his mane shaved off. (Hey! I was six!)

I'm not too sure about the renumbering of the series either. If they do make a movie then I hope they start with 'Wardrobe' as it is one of the strongest of the stories. Although 'The Voyage of the Dawn Treador' is my favorite.

[El Chuxter]

I found this article after posting earlier about Narnia. Prognosis: good.

http://filmforce.ign.com/articles/316765p1.html

[jeddah]

The big stories from the Old Testament have been pretty much left alone since B De Mille's opulent efforts. Ever since JP I've wondered why someone never decided to make new films on these.

jeddah

[Jargo]

Nah, leave all that psuedo religios metaphor rubbish alone. C.S Lewis - poodoo. Old testament stories - bantha wee!
What we need is real fantasy that engages the brain. Something with humour and pathos. Something that can be easily understood on many levels... like Terry Pratchett's Discworld series. 25 or so books to choose from a wealth of characters like no-one since Dickens and humour by the bucketload. Yet fixed firmly within the realm of fantasy and the folklores of every culture. his stories are deeply fringed with socio-political philosophy and exploration. The stories mine a seam of human experience that runs into even the shallowest mind. His pace is fast and exciting. The setpieces are just the best pieces of writing I've ever encountered. I want the Discworld as a movie series, so do thousands of others. Terry Pratchett himself won't allow anyone to do them if they get Hollywood-ised but after LOTR maybe, just maybe......