Now Kane is finally done (release dates pending etc) and astonishingly, I’ve finished all the scripts, treatments and notes that were overdue on all my other projects I find myself without a pressing deadline for the first time in over two years. I should luxuriate in these creatively calm waters but I prefer the intensity of a slightly more storm-tossed world. I’m finally getting back to some of the projects I had to shelve because of Kane and loving this freedom to flit around a little until I settle on something that really engages me. I should make the most of it as things could change quickly; James Purefoy and I have a thing we want to shoot this summer and it might just kick off at any moment if the rest of the cast fall into place quickly. It’s a very dark, very intense psychological thriller which will push James to places he’s never been before as an actor. Not a big film at all but something very different for us both. It may not come together but I’m hoping it will.
Of course, I’m waiting on news of a few other projects I’m up for as director but these things take forever, and I’m working my way through a huge pile of scripts – some pretty good, others just terribly dissapointing.
But this lull does give me a chance to consider some dream projects too. I’m pretty sure everyone, film makers and fans alike, has dream projects they’d love to see make it to the screen. I know I have; things I read as a kid which left a big impression or even more recent discoveries that are just crying out to be made. So, ignoring my own scripts and ideas that I’m developing here’s a list of some things I’d love to take a swing at. Not in any order and many of them, I know, are already in development (or development hell) but you never know…
HALF LIFE - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half_life_game I’m a bit of a gamer and to me the holy grail of games to adapt is HALF LIFE (1&2). I love these games so much and can just see how they would adapt so damn well. Huge project, massive ambition to make a sophisticated, visually stunning peice that has crazy action and lots of real depth. No gloss, just lots of grit.
THE ETERNAL CHAMPION SERIES from Michael Moorcock. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Michael_Moorcock Sure I love Elric but I think that whole cycle and complex world is terrific. Hawkmoon (which I’m reading to my daughter at the moment), Corum, Erikose and the rest. I’d love to bring it all together somehow.
AMERICAN TABLOID by James Ellroy. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Tabloid Stunning and bleak. Hard boiled as hell. The history of America filtered through the underbelly of Cuba, Kennedy and Hoover. Probably not a movie but a massive HBO series. Needs making on a grand, intense scale. I love dark noir and Ellroy is the prince of darkness. Who doesn’t want to see Big Pete Bondurant and Kemper Boyd come to life? Casting suggestions anyone?
THE SAGA OF THE EXILES by Julian May. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saga_of_Pliocene_Exile A fantastical world – time travel, pre-history and aliens all mixed in with battling telekinetics and some awesome characters. Needs some serious trimming to be adapted properly but there’s some great material in there.
ALIEN 5 – Alien is the reason I became a film maker. I don’t care about Ripley (edit – just to qualify this comment; Fincher finished her story in Alien3 and bringing her back felt like a diservice to her character in Alien4.) I want to know about the Aliens; their world, the ecosystem or intelligence that created them. Imagine if the Alien in its home world was nothing more than a wasp or ant? What kind of planet would that be? I’d rather Ridley Scott or James Cameron did it but if they won’t I’ll happily take a swing. Anything has to be better than the Alien movies we’ve been served up so far. (And this is coming from a guy who went to New York to see the opening of Alien3 in Times Square. I’ve long since forgiven Fincher who is clearly a genius but boy, it stung at the time. In fact you can kinda see what he was trying to do if you look at the extended cut. Still bad but now at least a really noble failure.) I hear now that the Ridley is producing a prequel with his favourite new Wunderkind director protege. Maybe we’ll finally find out what the hell the ’space jockey’ was all about. Wish it was me doing it though…
OUTLAND – Peter Hyams and Sean Connery’s sci-fi High Noon in space. Would really benefit from a great reimagining. Clearly this is true because Doug Liman is developing it now. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Outland_(film)
THE SPOOK’S APPRENTICE by Joseph Delaney. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_spooks_apprentice Essentially the stories of a trainee witch hunter/exorcist in a fictional middle ages England. I read a lot of stories to my kids and these have had them transfixed like few others. Dark and bleaker than Harry Potter so it totally fits into my world. Warner Brothers are actively developing these with Kevin Lima attached to direct. I only hope he has a nasty accident…
MORTAL ENGINES by Philip Reeve. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortal_Engines Again, something I read to my kids. It’s a wonderful adventure set in a distant, post apocalyptic future where vast cities are built on huge caterpillar tracks allowing them to crawl over the devastated landscape hunting down other cities to cannibalise. Visually, I’ve rarely come across something so unique and maybe it would be better as animation but I just loved these stories.
JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR NORRELL by Susanna Clark – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Strange_and_Mr_Norrell Holy hell, this is a great novel. A re-imagining of English history as if magic was real. It’s like a grown-up prequel to the Harry Potter series. Vast, detailed, rich, romantic and utterly, utterly wonderful. I have read a couple of the scripts they’ve had done for this but none have really captured it. The producers know I’m keen, they’re just waiting to see Kane.
SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES….. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_Wicked_This_Way_Comes_(novel) Just a stunning, creepy, vivid tale and one that would really benefit from another cinematic visit. I didn’t love the original film and I feel there is a genuinely terrifying film to be made.
HIGHLANDER – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highlander_(film) the company that made Twilight is actively developing a big-budget reboot of this. I absolutely adored the original and hated everything that came after and I’d love to get my hands on the script to see where they’re taking it. If there’s something wonderful and fresh in this new take on it, I’d be so there.
So there you go, a few of the things that would make my little heart flutter if only they’d let me at ‘em. There’s loads more but now I want a cup of tea. What would you love to see made?