Warren Ellis’ EXCALIBUR

[Gabe99]

From WarrenEllis.com:
EXCALIBUR/Untitled Arthurian Project

July 27th, 2009 | Work

I was actually cleared to talk about this at San Diego, but all the press I did there was Japanese-oriented for the Marvel Anime deal… so I’m going to mention it here, to say I did, and to maybe make up for that by giving the comics news sites something to post post-SDCC.

I’m writing a film treatment for Hollywood Gang, who co-produced Frank Miller’s 300. Hollywood Gang have previously optioned my graphic novel (with Chris Sprouse) OCEAN.

On my desk, the treatment is called Untitled Arthurian Project.

On their desk, the project is called EXCALIBUR.

I’m working directly with Gianni Nunnari, Oliver Kramer and Craig Flores (whom I was delighted to bump into on the Warner’s lot the other day) and having a great time.

So… yeah. Movie stuff. Other things to talk about soon. I’ve been sitting on that one for months.

From Variety:
Singer Sticks Sword into "Excalibur" Redo

Warner Bros. has closed a rights deal to remake the 1981 “Excalibur,” with Bryan Singer producing and developing the picture as a potential directing vehicle.

Deal comes as Singer gets serious about making the WB-New Line-Legendary co-production “Jack the Giant Killer” his next directing effort, according to sources.

WB and Legendary Pictures have labored for months to pull together the rights to the film, which Singer will produce with Rick and Julie Yorn. Polly Johnson, who was Polly Cohen when she was the WB exec who presided over the Singer-directed WB/Legendary collaboration “Superman Returns,” will also be a producer. Deals with Legendary and Singer are still coming together, but gaining speed after the rights deals closed.

Based on the Thomas Malory book, and scripted by Rospo Pallenberg and Boorman, “Excalibur” is the quintessential myth of King Arthur film, complete with the enchanted sword, the Knights of the Round Table, Merlyn the wizard, and the quest for the Holy Grail to save Arthur’s life.

The original picture, directed by John Boorman, broke such talent as Helen Mirren (who played the evil Morgana), Liam Neeson (Sir Gawain) as well as Gabriel Byrne, Patrick Stewart and Ciaran Hinds. WB had some of the rights as a library title; the rest were secured from Boorman.

Singer hasn’t set a writer yet. Matt Reilly is overseeing for WB, Eric Olsen for the Yorns, and Singer’s former partner Alex Garcia is overseeing for Legendary.

Singer recently signed on to develop to direct and product “Battlestar Galactica” at Universal, a project he’d been eyeing since he originally made a deal to godfather a series revival in 2001. At the same time, Singer has been flirting with directing “X-Men: First Class,” a 20th Century Fox spinoff that got a first script draft by “O.C.” creator Josh Schwartz.

It looks like his next directing assignment could well be “Jack the Giant Killer,” a riff on the Jack and the Beanstalk legend developed by New Line with scripter Mark Bomback and producer Neal Moritz. The story revolves around a young farmer who leads an expedition into the land of the giants to recover a kidnapped princess.

From Pajiba:
Exclusive: Guy Ritchie Attached to Direct Excalibur

You remember a while back when we announced that Bryan Singer was attached to direct a remake of John Boorman’s 1981 film, Excalibur? Yeah, that’s still happening, at least inasmuch as the movie is still in development over at Warner Brothers. But, to be honest, Bryan Singer has some other gigs with higher priority, namely X-Men: First Class and a big-screen version of Battlestar Galactica. Not to mention Jack the Giant Killer.

So, get this: Warner Brothers also put a competing production into development. But this one is not a remake of the Boorman film, it’s a big-screen adaptation of Warren Ellis’ Excalibur treatment . Now, the fact that Warren Ellis is working on a Excalibur movie isn’t new — he announced it on his own blog last July. (Coincidentally, Ellis also had a run as a writer of Marvel’s Excalibur — a series that featured Captain Britain and a number of former X-Men members — early in his career).

The news here, actually, is who is angling to direct this version of Excalibur: Some dude named Guy Ritchie. Yes. Ole Lock Stock and Two Holmes. Ritchie’s version is set up at the Hollywood Gang production studio (while Singer’s version is set up at Legendary). Moreover, the take is different. While Singer’s version is closer to a remake of the Boorman film, Ritchie’s possible take is more in the tone of Star Wars, and, as Ellis noted last year, his version “differs from the prior 751 King Arthur movies in many ways, but perhaps most obviously in that it is very specifically about the gathering of the Knights.”

But yes: There are two Excalibur movies in development, and both are set up at Warners, and both are in the script stage.

From Variety:
Ritchie, Hodge at Warners table - Director, writer combo for King Arthur saga

Warner Bros. is launching a King Arthur project with "Sherlock Holmes" helmer Guy Ritchie attached to direct and "Trainspotting" scribe John Hodge scripting for Atlas Entertainment and Hollywood Gang.

Producers are Hollywood Gang's Gianni Nunnari, Atlas' Charles Roven and Richard Suckle, with Hollywood Gang's Craig J. Flores exec producing.

Hodge is working on the script with Ritchie. Project aims to be a re-imagining of the legend of Arthur, believed to have been a 6th century king who defended Britain against Saxon invaders. Key source material will be Thomas Mallory's "Le Morte d'Arthur," published in 1485 as a compilation of French and English tales.

Jon Berg and Ollie Madden are overseeing for Warner Bros.

Hollywood Gang and Atlas are also teamed on a futuristic Robin Hood project for WB.

Warner Bros. attached Ritchie last fall to direct "Lobo," the live-action adaptation of the DC Comics drama about an alien bounty hunter, before "Sherlock Holmes" became a hit with worldwide grosses of $470 million. Ritchie also directed "Rocknrolla" and is attached to "The Siege of Malta" and "The Gamekeeper."

Nunnari's a producer on "War of Gods" with Mark Canton of Atmosphere Entertainment and Relativity topper Ryan Kavanaugh. Nunnari and Canton partnered on 2007's "300" for Warner Bros.

Roven is developing a "Gilligan's Island" feature for Warner Bros. (Daily Variety, March 3).

Hodge's credits include "The Seeker," "A Life Less Ordinary" and "The Beach."

Ritchie's repped by CAA. Hodge is repped by WME.

 

[TruerToTheCore]

Why do they remake EXCALIBUR when the whole story is public domain?

 

[The Sage]

I've been wanting new King Arthur movie for some time and Excalibur is considered the most accurate live portrayal. Hopefully this will be good, but Guy Ritchie directing? Hmm...

 

[Gabe99]

Guy Ritchie’s ‘King Arthur’ Set for July 22, 2016 Release
Plot details are under wraps and no cast has been set.

 

[Boom]

If there's no dragon in this I will riot.

 

[Gabe99]

Idris Elba in Talks for Guy Ritchie's 'King Arthur'

 

[Gabe99]

The Wrap:
Idris Elba in Talks to Star in Guy Ritchie's ‘Knights of the Roundtable: King Arthur’

 

[Gabe99]

‘Sons Of Anarchy’s Charlie Hunnam Is Guy Ritchie’s Choice For King Arthur