Disney's "Chronicles of Prydain"

[Gabe99]

‘Chronicles of Prydain’ Movie in the Works at Disney (EXCLUSIVE)

Disney has acquired movie rights to the fantasy series “The Chronicles of Prydain” and is in early development on the project, Variety has learned.

The five novels by Lloyd Alexander, based on Welsh mythology, were published annually from 1964 to 1968 and followed the protagonist Taran from youth to maturity. He’s an assistant pig-keeper but initially dreams of being a grand hero.

The books are set in the magical land of Prydain, which resembles ancient Wales and is engaged in a series of battles with Annuvin, the Land of Death.

Other key characters are the young princess Eilonwy, the bard Fflewddur Fflam and a wild creature named Gurgi.

The books are “The Book of Three,” “The Black Cauldron,” “The Castle Llyr,” “Taran Wanderer” and “The High King.” The final book won the John Newbery Medal, given by the Association for Library Service to Children.

Sam Dickerman is the Disney executive on the project, which has not yet been set with a producer, director or writer.

The first two books in the series served as the basis for Disney’s 1985 animated fantasy movie “The Black Cauldron,” in which a Horned King sought to secure an ancient magical cauldron that would aid him in his desire to conquer the world.

The film, directed by Ted Berman and Richard Rich, was the first Disney animated film to include computer-generated imagery. The movie, which carried a $44 million budget, failed to generate significant interest, with a $21 million domestic gross, and was not distributed as a home video release for more than a decade.

What Could Have Been: Disney And Pixar

The Black Cauldron was originally much grimmer and graphically violent. Most of the scenes—including a man being sliced in two in silhouette and the Horned King decapitating one of his henchmen—haven't been seen outside of rumor, but the infamous "man being dissolved by the undead" scene has managed to make it to Youtube in some form.

The Black Cauldron - Army of the Dead

 

[mclay18]

Disney has optioned the five books written by Lloyd Alexander and according to Variety, "is in early development on the project." Ironically, their maligned animated film The Black Cauldron was based on the first two novels.

Sounds like Disney wants to compete with WB's "Dragonriders of Pern" property...

 

[Kahran Ramsus]

Because this worked out so well for them the last time they tackled this series.

 

[Wheels]

Because this worked out so well for them the last time they tackled this series.

I actually appreciate them trying to adapt this again. We need more attempts at taking good ideas that didn't quite work and trying again in my opinion.

 

[Pink Ranger]

It should be fairly easy to adapt into a film; the novels are much more simplistic (not necessarily in a bad way) than a lot of other fantasy series. The first movie sucked because A) Disney animation was pretty much in the crapper back then, the golden age was long over and the Little Mermaid was some years away, and B) they basically had one movie to work with, and had to cram two novels into one story, and it totally didn't work.

Now, the game is different. Live action fantasy is now the norm, not the exception, as are multi-film franchises. They can afford to do each book now properly and not have to cram stuff into where it doesn't belong.

BTW, Christian Bale as Gwydion, Anthony Hopkins as Dallben and Ray Winstone as Coll.

 

[mclay18]

Is the series still in print? I may have to check it out.

 

[terry78]

I liked Black Cauldron for what it was. It did come out at at a time when movie animation was all about being kind of dark and edgy, hence the crash it took.

 

[Loki882]

Disney's unofficial rule of "no sequels" back then REALLY didn't lend itself well to adapting this series. Because it's a series, with defined arcs and storylines, that need time to play out, etc.

Trying to cram a lot of that into one 90 minute (or however long it was) film, was doomed from the beginning.

 

[def28]

Wow, this is actually really cool. Black Cauldron is actually one of my favorites and I never thought Disney would revisit it. Looking forward to this being adapted again.

Anyone else dig the Elmer Bernstein Score to the animated film? It's pretty awesome. Love the theme for when Eilonwy is introduced.

 

[:eek:]

Disney's unofficial rule of "no sequels" back then REALLY didn't lend itself well to adapting this series. Because it's a series, with defined arcs and storylines, that need time to play out, etc.

Trying to cram a lot of that into one 90 minute (or however long it was) film, was doomed from the beginning.

I think it was just around 80 minutes. Definitely too short to be really satisfying in terms of story. Like most old Disney animated movies.

 

[:eek:]

Bump

 

[mclay18]

Depending on how fast Disney's live-action remakes percolate, I think "The Book of Three" could be one of those "Untitled Disney Live Action Fairy Tale" movies slated for December 2017, November 2018 or November 2019.

I don't think they'll do a full-blown remake of "The Black Cauldron", as the 1985 film isn't a beloved classic. If they get to adapting that, it'll hew more closely to the source novel than the animated film. So no cute Gurgi or the usual stock medieval hero.

 

[darthcoolness3]

It's probably going to bomb the box-office since it's competing again Star Wars in all of those time slots