So we have seen the filming of the greatest Fantasy trilogy of all time - LotR…we’ve seen a filming of part of the Dune books (whether good or bad - that’s not the issue here)
Don’t you think it’s time to make a movie of what is considered by many the most epic of SciFi - Foundation
What are your thoughts on this??
It won’t be made, at least not the original trilogy. That is, supposing they’ll be faithfull to the sources. I mean, I love the books and think they’re great but wouldn’t it make for VERY boring cinema? Lot’s of people in futuristic gear discussing action going on off-screen.
My vote for a science fiction epic would be Clarke’s Rama series.
Morgan Freeman’s production company owns the film right for Rama and is moving forward with it.
There’s also a script for Foundation, focusing on the Mule and skipping most of the first novel out there.
They’re holding auditions in LA for I, Robot as well.
I’d vote for the John Varley Titan series, myself. Or some of Larry Niven’s short stories (The Soft Weapon was redone as an episode of the Star Trek animated series, but it’d make a good movie).
The Mule part of the trilogy might be good movie material.
Or, go to a later book, like Foundation and Empire or Foudation’s Edge
Larry Niven’s Ringworld has “Movie” written all over it.
The next one is this Saturday–“Riverworld” is going to be on Sci-Fi. Tho I don’t hold out high hopes for it. I checked the credits on the IMDB and the hero is somebody named Hale. No mention of Sir Richard Francis Burton (or Peter Frigate, for that matter).
I’m hoping for a “Foundation” mini-series. It would work on TV–it’s a sprawling epic, lots of talking, and not a great need for special effects. Sort of a science fiction “I, Claudius.”
For some reason I seem to have heard of a Foundation movie in development. I can’t place where, though. And we all know about the I, Robot movie, yes?
Robert Jordan’s* Wheel of Time* series.
9 movies, one released each year.
David Fincher directs.
Trent Reznor does the soundtracks.
I’ve only read the first Foundation novel. It was good, but the problem is of course it is a series of short stories with the same plot line and theme.
They use to make movies like that with big casts (e.g.- The Greatest Story Ever Told). They don’t seem to anymore.
But with Chicago and Moulin Rouge bringing back the musical, maybe somebody will bring back this style of film.
Nah, Wheel of Time’s gotta be Babylon 5 type 5-7 year series.
I’d still like to see a Wild Cards series of movies, but hey, I’m weird like that.
A Foundation movie series would be cool, but I’d rather see the Amber Chronicles. I think that since it’s one story arc it’d make for a better movie series.
In my order of preference:
ANY more Babylon 5 stuff from JMS
Honor Harrington (so heavily edited as to piss off most fans)
Ringworld (very visual, very cool)
Stainless Steel Rat (the early stuff was great. Just don’t let HH write the screenplay)
Hammer’s Slammers (always like war stuff)
Dragonriders of Pern (would make mondo bucks, I’m thinking)
Riverworld (is a very cool concept, even if you change the story)
Dhalgren (art film. It’ll really confuse and piss off the audience.)
I don’t think the Foundation Books can be adapted to the screen well, mostly because they have aged badly in the half century since their original publication. There would have to be substantial revision to the action and dialogue in order to make it more palatable for today’s audiences and 21st century tastes.
There are many other works of science fiction that I’d rather see on the screen:
Lord of Light: You could make this with a mixture of American, European, and Indian actors, and the mixture of futuristic technology with classical Indian settings would make for riveting film, but the Hindu anti-defamation groups would prevent a project depicting their gods from ever being launched.
The Uplift Books: I’m a big fan of David Brin’s books, and the pursuit of the Streaker by alien foes would be a gotta-see miniseries.
Doomsday Book: Connie Willis’s tale of a time traveler stranded in England during the Black Death demands a big-screen treatment. I see Kate Winslet as Kivrin with Alex Proyas to direct.
Jem by Frederick Pohl. The plot concerns an Earth divided into three power blocs that send competing missions to a new planet, where they make allianes with the different intelligent races that dwell there.
I don’t know how movie audiences would handle Heinlein back on the screen, especially after the disaster of Starship Troopers but I’d love to see his novella If This Goes On done as a movie. Of course, the Religious Right would turn purple and go into fits over it.
I think a series of vingettes from his Future History series could be good. Maybe as a made-for-TV movie or on the Sci-Fi channel?
twitch twitch twitch
I can just see how popular the last few seasons would be. 22 episodes, nothing happens…
I’d like to see a good Lensman movie.
Wheel of Time? 18 years of dreadfully dull spanking sessions? 
Nangleator’s got a good list there, but the major problem with any Hollywood release is getting producers who know how to stay away and let the creative people have full control.
Hehehe… the joys of editting. We can start with a season per book, but then speed up when we get to the boring parts. I think book 7 could be handled in a 2-parter.
gobear, don’t you think Winslet’s a bit old to be Kivrin? She’s supposed to be a college student, right? Hmm… IMDB says she’s 27. I guess that’s in the realm of possibility. For some reason she seems older to me, though.
I’m thinking someone more in the Anna Paquin or Natalie Portman range, but I doubt either could do a convincing English accent.