An Elric TV series is in pre-production!!

[Deleted]

Hi all,

www.superherohype.com/tv/472006-michael-moorcocks-elric-saga-is-coming-to-tv

And:

deadline.com/2019/11/the-elric-saga-tv-series-package-michael-moorcock-glen-mazzara-vaun-wilmott-1202788573/


Looks like after decades in limbo, things are becoming more specific, again!

Myself, I'm pretty excited about these news - but, as always, one has to be weary of the inevitable "Hollywood Treatment". See, "Shannara", or "Legend of the Seeker".

Adapting "Elric" seems particularly tricky in the current landscape, as the character and his universe are so obviously an inspiration for some of the main characters of "Game of Thrones".

...Still so, if the adaptation is created with the idea of being faithful to the source, this could be pretty great.

Yours,

Rafe

[angantyr]

Nov 21, 2019 15:00:38 GMT -6 @rafael said:

Hi all,

www.superherohype.com/tv/472006-michael-moorcocks-elric-saga-is-coming-to-tv

And:

deadline.com/2019/11/the-elric-saga-tv-series-package-michael-moorcock-glen-mazzara-vaun-wilmott-1202788573/


Looks like after decades in limbo, things are becoming more specific, again!

Myself, I'm pretty excited about these news - but, as always, one has to be weary of the inevitable "Hollywood Treatment". See, "Shannara", or "Legend of the Seeker".

Adapting "Elric" seems particularly tricky in the current landscape, as the character and his universe are so obviously an inspiration for some of the main characters of "Game of Thrones".

...Still so, if the adaptation is created with the idea of being faithful to the source, this could be pretty great.

Yours,

Rafe

To give the proper Laconic reply: "If."

I do not have high hopes, but perhaps we will be pleasantly surprised. Not holding my breath, however.

[tkdco2]

I'll watch it if it airs on a channel already included in my cable package.

I didn't watch Game of Thrones, since I don't have HBO. How did Moorcock influence that series?

[Vile Traveller]

I'll wait and see. No point getting grumpy when we don't know anything yet, nor too much reason to get excited. I'm glad the old franchise is getting some love, perhaps other things <cough>Stormbringer</cough> may see the light again because of it.

[Deleted]

Nov 29, 2019 21:04:25 GMT -6 tkdco2 said:

I didn't watch Game of Thrones, since I don't have HBO. How did Moorcock influence that series?

[Oversimplified:] The story of the books revolves about the descendants of the Valyrians, an albino race of dragonmasters, after their homeland, an island-based city state, is destroyed by chaos magic. The Valyrian survivors presumably fled to Westeros and became the kings and queens of ordinary humans, until they were overthrown by Northern insurgents about fifteen years ago. "A Song of Ice and Fire" tells the story of Daenerys, the last legitimate heir of the Valyrian Westeros noble line, and, small spoiler here, Jon Snow, eventually revealed to be a half-Valryian.

[Oversimplified: ]While the story arc involving Jon Snow and his family (that takes the lion's share of the series) is mostly based on actual medieval history (through the filter of Maurice Druon, though), the story arc involving Daenerys is often extremely close to Melnibone aestethics, especially in the second book, where Daenerys fights the warlocks of Qarth. The overall concepts of ASOIAF magic are commonly characterized as very influenced by H. P. Lovecraft, but they are at least equally influenced by Moorcockian concepts, especially when looking at GRMM's "The Prince That Was Promised", which may or may not be a play on Moorcock's "Eternal Champion".


- Doesn't make for a bad story, actually. Back when ASOIAF/GOT wasn't adult people's "Harry Potter", and the series didn't yet have this sort of an audience, this play on classic fantasy tropes was what got me into the books: "An unofficial continuation of the Melnibone stories?! - Yes!!!"


[Derail:] Interestingly enough, "The Witcher", a book/game/TV series that even Moorcock himself has accused of plagiarizing "Elric", isn't AT ALL like anything he ever wrote. (At least as I know his works.) The protagonists are both albinos, yes, but Sapkowskji's Geralt of Rivia is a completely different character. If at all, then Geralt maybe takes some inspiration from "Game of Thrones" in the later parts of the series.

[tkdco2]

Thanks, Rafael.