# LotR, Dune............Foundation next?? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2003, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181 "2003-03-18T01:59:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2003, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/21 "2003-03-18T21:36:47Z")
_Foundation_ made for great books, but it’d be a lousy movie. **Everything** happens off-stage, so to speak. In a book, that works fine: You can follow the characters’ thoughts and actions as they respond to the events. In a movie, though, you need to show people what’s happening, not tell them. **Nangleator** ’s suggestions of Pern and Honor Harrington, on the other hand, would be pretty good movies (or TV show, in Harrington’s case: 10+ novels is too much for a movie or series of movies). _Ringworld_ might also work, but they’d be hard-pressed to satisfy the physics nerds the way that Niven did. If you want an Asimov suggestion, I’d love to see a TV series or movie(s) from the Lucky Starr books. Seeing as they were written with the intent of a screen adaptation in the first place, the adaptation shouldn’t pose any major problems. I won’t trust any more movies supposedly based on Heinlein, though, unless Ginny has complete creative control over every step of the process. Actually, I’d prefer that Robert himself had that creative control, but unfortunately, that’s no longer possible. ---
**Author:** ![Yookeroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yookeroo/32/323_2.png) [@Yookeroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yookeroo)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/22 "2003-03-19T07:06:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\ ***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. > \*\* If he’s wearing Nike Shox, they’ll never catch him 😃 The Wheel of Time could only be improved by an adaptation. Kill all the unnecessary plot threads, the pages & pages of descritions will be on the screen to see instead of read. You’d have to use actresses with coke addictions though (all that sniffing). ---
**Author:** ![Gorsnak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gorsnak/32/7587_2.png) [@Gorsnak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorsnak)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/23 "2003-03-19T07:21:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Yookeroo \* > \*\*The Wheel of Time could only be improved by an adaptation. Kill all the unnecessary plot threads, the pages & pages of descritions will be on the screen to see instead of read. You’d have to use actresses with coke addictions though (all that sniffing). \*\* Okay, but wouldn’t a half hour be kinda short for a movie? ---
**Author:** ![Balance](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ccd318/32.png) [@Balance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balance)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/24 "2003-03-19T07:35:02Z")
There have been a number of attempts at bringing the Dragonriders to either the big or small screen–one potential TV series got as far as having mockups of dragon saddles to cover the interface between actors and digital dragons. There may even be footage of McCaffrey sitting on one of the saddles. The series was scrapped in the late 90s before it got into production. [http://www.annemccaffrey.org/](http://www.annemccaffrey.org/) says that they’re still looking at TV/movie productions, but offers no details. Encouragingly, the reason most of the projects haven’t gotten off the ground is McCaffrey’s creative control–she won’t let it happen until she’s confident that it will be done right. I’m willing to wait for it. As for _Wheel of Time_…wouldn’t it take the entire SAG to fill out the cast? Then I would have to kill them all. No, it’s much more convenient for everyone not to start down that path. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/25 "2003-03-19T07:38:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Chronos \* > \*\* I won’t trust any more movies supposedly based on Heinlein, though, unless Ginny has complete creative control over every step of the process. Actually, I’d prefer that Robert himself had that creative control, but unfortunately, that’s no longer possible. \*\* Uh, **Chronos** , Ginny’s no longer with us, having joined Robert in whatever afterlife awaits. ---
**Author:** ![gobear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8dc957/32.png) [@gobear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gobear)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/26 "2003-03-19T13:22:06Z")
> [@](#): > > 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 Kivrin is a grad student going for her doctorate in history, so Kate Winslet would be the right age. More ideas. . . . **Snow Crash**. I see Josh Hartnett as Hiro Protagonist and James Gandolfini as Uncle Enzo. **Book of the New Sun**. Russell Crowe could have played Sevrin 10 years ago, but now I’m not sure who to cast. The Nantucket Trilogy by S. P. Stirling\*\* **Cities in Flight** ---
**Author:** ![Fenris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fenris/32/498_2.png) [@Fenris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fenris)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/27 "2003-03-19T14:20:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tangent \* > \*\*My vote for a science fiction epic would be Clarke’s _Rama_ series. \*\* Correction Clarke’s **Rama** _NOVEL_. Let’s pretend the series didn’t happen. Gentry Lee (or whateverthhell his name was) never soiled himself on Clarke’s masterpiece. **Chronos** :\*\* The Caves of Steel\*\* could make a great movie and you could even spin it off into a TV Series. (“He’s a detective. He’s a robot. Together they’re COPS!”) Fenris ---
**Author:** ![Darkrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Darkrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkrabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/28 "2003-03-19T14:37:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Spudo \* > \*\*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. \*\* You probably missed this press release from the Sci Fi channel … > [@](#): > > THE CHRONICLES OF AMBER (4-hour miniseries) - Based on award-winning writer Roger Zelazny’s (Lord of the Light, Creatures of Light and Darkness, Home is the Hangman, A Rose For Ecclesiastes) classic international-best selling 10 volume “Chronicles of Amber” series (over 3 1/2 million copies worldwide have been translated into ten languages), this is the story of a royal family with amazing powers over time and space who are plagued by infighting as they try to unite against a sinister enemy. Corwin is a prince of Amber, the “immortal city from which every other city has taken its shape.” He has spent centuries on Earth as an amnesiac but when someone in the family tries to kill him, Corwin begins a search for his past. Richard Christian Matheson (Sole Survivor) will adapt the screenplay for SCI FI. Tom Patricia (First Shot, King of the World: The Muhammad Ali Story, Intensity, Medusa’s Child, The Linda McCartney Story) of Patriarch Pictures will serve as executive producer. ---
**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/29 "2003-03-19T14:56:57Z")
I see the validity in the points not to make Foundation into a movie-miniseries…I second Amber. DarkRabbitt when is suppose to be aired? Or has it been aired? People are right about WoT - way too boring and long, maybe after rewriting to condense all 9 books into 2 (which I think should be doable) How about P. Hamilton’s Night’s Dawn?? ---
**Author:** ![Darkrabbit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@Darkrabbit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkrabbit)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/30 "2003-03-19T15:13:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by swannguy \* > **…I second Amber. DarkRabbitt when is suppose to be aired? Or has it been aired?..** Never been aired but I believe the projected date of airing will be next summer. Sci Fi bought a lot of classic Science Fiction stories last year with the objective of turning them all into either mini-series or as 2 hour pilots for television series. Here is the [complete list](http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/gofuton.cgi?action=newswire&id=2749); Myst The Forever War The Chronicles of Amber Tripping the Rift Riverworld Battlestar Gallactica No time schedule on any of these, just the desire to pump an original feature out every quarter. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/31 "2003-03-19T15:14:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > **Book of the New Sun**. Russell Crowe could have played Sevrin 10 years ago, but now I’m not sure who to cast. This make for a seriously twisted movie. It may work better as a TV series, a la **Farscape**. BTW, the name’s **Severian**. ---
**Author:** ![Terminus\_Est](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terminus_est/32/3087_2.png) [@Terminus\_Est](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Terminus_Est)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/32 "2003-03-19T15:17:46Z")
:smack: **would** This **would** make for a twisted movie. ---
**Author:** ![Foolonthehill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e274bd/32.png) [@Foolonthehill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foolonthehill)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/33 "2003-03-19T15:50:21Z")
Jack Vance’s “The Dying Earth”…obvious series potential. James Blish’s " a Case of Conscience"…a stand alone movie, although religious types would have a very difficult time with this. ---
**Author:** ![swannguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@swannguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swannguy)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/34 "2003-03-19T15:59:56Z")
Speaking of Jack Vance (Foolonthehill) - how come he is so ‘unknown’ here in the US??..I hardly manage to find his books in the mainstream bookstores. Back in Europe you can easily find 15-20 books of his, but here you can count yourself lucky to find 5… ---
**Author:** ![tanstaafl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ba8739/32.png) [@tanstaafl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tanstaafl)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/35 "2003-03-19T17:09:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Darkrabbit \* > \*\*Here is the [complete list](http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/gofuton.cgi?action=newswire&id=2749); > > Myst > The Forever War > The Chronicles of Amber > Tripping the Rift > Riverworld > Battlestar Gallactica > > No time schedule on any of these, just the desire to pump an original feature out every quarter. \*\* Riverworld is airing this Saturday. ---
**Author:** ![Dryga\_Yes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Dryga\_Yes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dryga_Yes)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2003, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/36 "2003-03-19T20:45:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by watsonwil \* > \*\*But with Chicago and Moulin Rouge bringing back the musical, maybe somebody will bring back this style of film. \*\* Hmm… Seriously, wouldn’t it be the best thing ever if someone made Foundation: The Musical? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RawkStah](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@RawkStah](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RawkStah)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/37 "2003-03-20T01:36:37Z")
Gotta agree with everyone who said that “Foundation” would suck as a movie. Too much talking, not enough showing. Plus, I don’t know that people are ready for that many exclamation points in a sci-fi movie. I’ve read that “Ender’s Game” is in pre-production, but, I don’t think it’s possible to do the book justice. What kind of audience wants to see at 6-year-old beating 2 people to death, and also naked a lot? Ben Bova’s “Mars” would make a decent movie, if not memorable. Good sci-fi movie placeholder, anyway. Greg Bear’s “Queen of Angels” series would be great. And, even though it’s not “hard” sci-fi, the “New Jedi Order” series would be fantastic. ---
**Author:** ![NotTheHamburglar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f05b48/32.png) [@NotTheHamburglar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NotTheHamburglar)\ **Post date:** [March 20, 2003, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/38 "2003-03-20T03:49:55Z")
I am Jack’s Hamburglar! ---
**Author:** ![toadspittle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c0e974/32.png) [@toadspittle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toadspittle)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/39 "2003-03-27T21:53:27Z")
One (fantasy) series I can’t believe hasn’t been made into a TV series: Glenn Cook’s Black Company books. Great stuff there (esp. the first 3 books). ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2003, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181/40 "2003-03-27T22:36:57Z")
Another series that would make a great mini-series would be Harry Turtledove’s World War books; big cast, lots of action, multiple plotlines, a story that’s SF but not too exotic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lotr-dune-foundation-next/162181.md?page=3)