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You can now see a trailer for the forthcoming Stardust movie, based on the Mythopoeic Award-winning book by Neil Gaiman and Charles Vess. The film stars Clare Danes, Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfieffer, Sienna Miller, and Charlie Cox. It's directed by Matthew Vaughan, and looks gorgeous.
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Wonderful book, and will definitely see the movie version. I do wish, however, that someone would do _American_Gods_.
Or even some Charles de Lint. _Moonheart_ would be okay. _Mulengro_ might be even better, given how popular M. Night Shyamalan's works tend to be these days.
Posted by: Rob Blake | March 27, 2007 at 08:01 AM
Can't wait for this one.
Posted by: jenclair | March 27, 2007 at 08:08 AM
This is, by far, my most anticipated film of the whole year.
Jane Goldman has been an absolute star taking questions from FoEM readers (and my own) and will be answering them soon. The film is almost finished - just needs the music and sound mix before it's all complete and ready to show.
I DO hope they can get this out to Cannes this year - I think it'll be a hit with that crowd.
Posted by: Martyn Drake | March 27, 2007 at 08:15 AM
Oh, and yes, I'd rather like to see an American Gods adaptation too. But they've got to do Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell first because that's been in script development for longer than I'd care for (mind you, they've got to do THAT film justice and if it needs the extra work, then so be it).
M.
Posted by: Martyn Drake | March 27, 2007 at 08:19 AM
Ok...I realize this is a very time warp moment! I've posted this in the future! Hah...I am worried if I try and change it, I will lose everyone's comment. So I shall leave it as is!
Posted by: Midori | March 27, 2007 at 09:56 AM
I can't wait for this movie. The book was just amazing. I too would love to see an American God's movie. It's in my top 3 books of all time.
Posted by: Chris | March 27, 2007 at 12:05 PM
This looks so incredibly cool! Hopefully, if this goes over well, a studio will compel Gaiman to write an epic screenplay for American Gods!
Posted by: Lindsay | March 27, 2007 at 05:02 PM
Midori: You're not going crazy, Typepad is. Today is March 28th, but for some reason they've listed March 29 at the top of today's posts. Very weird!
Posted by: Terri Windling | March 28, 2007 at 01:02 AM
Okay, I've managed to get the system to correct the date. That was truly odd! Living in the future indeed...
Posted by: Terri Windling | March 28, 2007 at 01:06 AM
The trailer does look good, but this is a film that I am very, very worried about only because I love the book so much. I imagine this is how LOTR fans felt as they waited to see what Peter Jackson would do with their beloved friend (Yes, I am one of those people who hadn't read LOTR before the film came out...and I'm running a fantasy challenge...IMPOSTER!!! I have since rectified the situation). I am even more stressed about the film because I want it to be a critical and financial success for Neil Gaiman. I want his films to get Frank Miller receptions, not Alan Moore ones. Fingers crossed!
Posted by: Carl V. | March 28, 2007 at 05:17 AM
Carl, ditto with regards to LOTR - I hadn't read any of the books until I'd watched the films, although when I was honeymooning in New Zealand before the first film was about to be released a few months later, I did pick up the trilogy in book form for some heavy reading during our flight back to the UK. Alas! I ended up reading Harry Potter instead.
Overall I don't think there's much too worry about, but if you think Stardust is tricky to adapt, I *dread* to think what it's been like for Christopher Hampton to adapt Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell...
Posted by: Martyn Drake | March 28, 2007 at 06:11 AM
Its funny, but I expect that Neil and I are much more comfortable with the changes made in the move from book to movie than most fans will be. I know that if we were both working on the 'same' book now, almoat 10 years later, that the finished book would most probably be a very different animal as we are slightly different people than we were back then. If Matthew Vaughan manages to get the right balance between the love story and the adventure, humor and horror elements (and so far, having seen quite a bit of the film he has) then we are all in for a very enjoyable experience. Cross your fingers...
Charles
Posted by: Charles Vess | March 28, 2007 at 08:25 AM
It certainly looks as though the spirit of the book is there, although it's a bit difficult (and perhaps too early) to judge just based on a single trailer. I still can't view the UK version on my Mac, and I've had no response from Yahoo! about it :(
One thing that immediately got my attention was that it was very colourful. Even when it's dark! :)
There's lots of colour in the costumes, the scenery, the visual effects, everything. Very much reminded me of Charles' illustrations in that respect. I seem to recall somebody, perhaps on the IMDB boards for Stardust, complaining there was TOO much colour, would you believe!
I'd be interested to hear how Stardust would be different IF both of you had started the project this year (for example).
Posted by: Martyn Drake | March 28, 2007 at 10:54 AM
I appreciate what you have to say, Mr. Vess. I truly will love it if it is a good film 'in the spirit of' the book. My fear is that it will be, through no fault of the filmmakers vision, only through 'Hollywoodization; a film that it either slightly disappointing, like The Brothers Grimm, or a disaster, like League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.
I for one am glad that you both wrote the book back then as it is a marvelous piece of fantasy/fairy tale literature with amazing art that calls to mind artists along the lines of Arthur Rackham. It is truly the book that I compare all other similar literature to.
I have always admired Neil Gaiman's attitude about being able to let go of his creations and watch others interpret it. Sometimes that makes me afraid, though, so I was thrilled to see his comments in the recent Wizard Movie edition that indicated that he has the same concerns that this be good. Not that he wouldn't, but hopefully you understand what I am saying.
I will be there opening weekend, no doubt about it. I think most of the cast were good choices and others have the potential to win me over if the performance is good.
I'm also excited that the film will be getting your (C. Vess) work out there even more in the public eye, you definitely deserve it.
Posted by: Carl V. | March 28, 2007 at 01:53 PM
As a newer fan that got my book only this week, I am really excited about the film!
I had the fortune to meet Mr. Vess and have my book signed a couple nights ago (thank you, thank you) and I'm utterly enchanted.
The artwork on page 123 reminds me so much of an incredible mural on the library wall in Fairbanks Alaska by Bill Berry. Enchanting.
In fact, it was in a search for a picture of the mural that I accidentally found this site. Great blog!
Posted by: Ren | July 22, 2007 at 08:08 PM