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Dragonriders of Pern, one of the biggest-selling science fiction novel series, is being turned into a live-action feature. David Hayter has been set to write the script for Dragonflight, the first novel in a series that includes 22 novels generated by Anne McCaffrey. Steve Hoban’s Copperheart Entertainment has teamed with Hayter and Benedict Carver’s Dark Hero Studios and Angry Films partners Don Murphy and Susan Montford on the project. Entertainment One is also a partner and has gotten the project off the ground by acquiring distribution in Canada, with talks ongoing to acquire numerous other territories that will include the UK and Australia.
The first book was published in 1968. It focuses on an elite group of warriors who take to the skies on the backs of giant, fire-breathing dragons with telepathic powers, as they to save the exotic planet of Pern from a terrifying airborne menace.
Hoban said he first tried to acquire McCaffrey’s series 14 years ago when he was an executive at IMAX. Several years later, it built steam but was postponed by another flying dragon project, Eragon, which didn’t breathe much fire. The series kept going though, and now spans 22 books. It came together with the current players. Hayter’s sci-fi/fantasy script credits include X-Men and Watchmen, while Murphy and Montford’s work includes Transformers, At the Mountains of Madness and the upcoming Shawn Levy-directed Hugh Jackman starrer Real Steel. It was Hayter and Carver who brought in Entertainment One’s Patrice Theroux. Hoban said that the conceptual art has been generated and Hayter should have a script later this year. The plan is to get the flying dragons off the ground by next year. McCaffrey continues to write her dragon series, at age 85. The books span several thousands of years and generations of characters, but Hoban said there is plenty to launch a franchise.
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I loved these books when I was younger. Would love for these to be a success and beget a franchise. I’m just not sure most people are into non-brand name fantasy.
Pern is one of the biggest brands there is. Worldwide bestseller. What an idiotic comment.
The idiotic comment is yours. Ryan simply states a fact. I read sci-fi, and have never heard of this series. Face it, unless it’s Lord of the Rings, Twilight or Harry Potter most people haven’t heard of it. “Brand” name fantasy franchises are as rare as anti-matter.
You need a property whose awareness extends beyond the ravenous geek-o-spehere who may be loud and combative (as your comment proves) but aren’t able to generate a profit.
Or are you going to tell me that Eragon’s reader base translated into a hit movie? Legend of the Guardians maybe?
I like David Hayter’s work and because of that have hopes for this series. Let’s just hope it’s fans aren’t as rude and boorish as you are.
Indeed. the original 1977 release of STAR WARS, the Terminator series, AVATAR, ALIEN, INDEPENDENCE DAY, DISTRICT 9…all had rich, wide-spread, years-old brand recognition and a global consumer audience that absolutely ensured their great success amongst the masses, before a frame was ever shot.
Wait…
And, begging the Captain’s pardon, but if you read sci-fi *or* fantasy and have never heard of the “Pern” series…well, that’s something akin to a gardener who’s never heard of a Venus Fly Trap. I’m not a Pern fan (somewhat indifferent) but it would be impossible to have never heard of the series if you are at *all* a consumer of sci-fi literature.
On that note, do the titles “Who Goes There?” or “The Watcher” mean anything to you, sans Google?
I’m guessing “No”…
none of those things were “brand name” until after the movie.
If you read sci fi you missed an awesome series.
Now her Son also writes on the series.
Fantasy?
“Dragonriders of Pern” is science fiction.
Indeed, as McCaffrey has always said.
But most casual readers aren’t aware of that.
It’s science fiction in the same way that post-apocalyptic series are considered sci-fi.
But you’d need to delve deep into the series to realize this, as McCaffrey isn’t a ‘shove the clues down your throat’ author.
It’s a bit of a mix I think. It’s human development into space yes, but the ‘what if’ factor isn’t huge for me as it usually is with sf stories, and really, there is very little science and a heap of glorious fantasy. I’d put it in the fantasy with a dollop of scifi added bin.
Hope this comes off and isn’t another failed attempt a la Ron Moore. The Pern world is rich in imagination and adventure so the story elements are there. The rest is up to the writers and producers. Fingers crossed.
Actually this argument has been around a long long time. It really is both. Fantasy and Science Fiction. The answer lies in the book you happen to be reading at the time. (of 22) The ones that initially came out could be considered more Fantasy but none of the ones set at the beginning of Pern’s colonization could be considered anything but Science Fiction(ala Jurassic Park)
So the answer my little weyrling… is both.
Yes it is science fiction however these books are in the fantasy section of every bookstore or library I’ve ever seen them in.
What???
I have often wanted to see Pern as a film. With the fanatstic abilities in special effects that are now possible. it COULD be done well. it could also be massacred.
I don’t personally think its about whether people already know the story or author. Millions if not billions of people have read the books, and would recognize it. Others might be interested simply bcs it is the sci-fi/fantasy genre. I think its both. I also think that people can discuss literature and movies without being rude and insulting.
I would love to see “Pern” in action, if i like the way it is done. If done well, i think it could be extremely popular and well-rec’d, whether people had heard of it before or not.
I’ve been reading Science Fiction since 1947. The Pern novels are among the best of the best. Let the dragons tell the story of their creation and then, as suggested, go to Dragon’s Dawn and fly thread with the Riders up through the rest of the series. This is indeed science fiction–not fantasy. The Lord Holders are very recognizable–are they not?
Just get it done and don’t Hollywoodize it.
Don J.
I have been waiting for this series to become a great trilogy of movies since I read them in the late 70′s. Now that special effects have caught up to where they needed to be, in order to do it justice, the time is right to make Dragonflight. Please stay with the true storyline, and do your best, and all will fall into place. The big movie houses will turn green with envy that they didn’t pick this one up themselves. I will be waiting for you to finish it, and will be there on opening day to watch it with pleasure. Do us proud Team !!!!
Trilogy? It’s a whole series.
This is very exciting. It’s been a long time coming. It’s the first time that technology has been sufficient to fully explore this universe. It’s a no-brainer, really. Sex, violence, intrigue, dragons, dragon sex and violence. Done well, this could be a very successful franchise. It has the same level of enthusiastic followers that LOTR did before its movies. Let’s just hope that a great visionary like P. Jackson can make sure this is done well. In fact, what is Jackson doing after the Hobbit?
No disrespect intended to Pete Jackson (his spectacular talent is beyond question), but there *are* other men—and women—around who could properly wrangle this franchise…
…and perhaps even exceed Jackson’s interpretation.
Peter Jackson owns Naomi Novik’s TEMERAIRE series, which is a dragon riding series set against 19th Century Imperial Britain.
This is a great, great franchise, but it faces the limitations of depicting alien civilizations and funny character/place names.
This is just an awful idea for a feature film. Guaranteed to be cheesy looking.
UPN actually attempted to make a series based on this franchise around 2001/2002, but it never went forward.
It is my understanding that the network were not going to be true to the books so the person who brought it to the network backed out because he was a true fan of Pern.
why were there never any sequels to ERAGON???
Because Eragon was considered a flop; poorly acted and badly adapted.
It didn’t make enough money.
Because the film was even worse than the books.
And Eragon stole many of its elements from McCaffrey…badly.
No mention of Ron Moore’s earlier attempt to get this off the ground?
From the second I saw the first footage from Avatar, all I could think was: FINALLY Pern can be made! Do it justice, please.
Agreed!
p.s
I think Ellen Page is a shoe-in for Lessa.
I think i just shit myself!
Wow! I remember reading these books when i was in junior high school! They were awesome! It’s such a cool and rich world Anne has created and written about. If this is done right these movies are blockbusters! Also, you don’t have to follow a certain thread so to speak. You can amalgate certain story lines and just come up with 90-120 minutes of tight storyline with awesome SFX to back it up. There are 22 books people!
There is so much material here! No excuse for this not to succeed!
“…a certain thread…”
Ha! I get it.
Pun intended?
These are wonderful books I know from my childhood, and my gut feeling is they will be wrecked! I can see it now… A young hero from humble beginnings, let’s be original and call him The (Chosen*) One, discovers his true calling and becomes the ultimate dragon rider/warrior, after first capturing and bonding with his dragon of course. After which, he will save the planet, which involves lots of flying and diving and swooping, all in glorious 3D naturally, and wins the princess (Not Natalie Portman, Anyone but Natalie Portman). Hollywood does this unfortunately. Please prove me wrong this time.
*Optional
“my gut feeling is they will be wrecked!”
Well, if they change the heroine to a hero, it will be instantly wrecked. The original story was about Lessa, and carried on through many memorable and strong female characters. I wouldn’t put it past male centric Hollywood at all.
I have loved and collected these books all my adult life. Still doing so as a matter of fact. My worry is that Dragon Flight alone is not enough to make a good movie. Dragon’s Dawn might be the better place to start this franchise.
I think they should put the first 3 books together (dragon flight,dragon quest and the white dragon) as the first movie. It could end on the note of Joxom entering the room where AVIS welcomes him. Then it leaves an opening for the second movie. A prequel so to speak.I plan to see the movie bad or not. I still read the series with Anne’s son continuing the stories about the brave people and dragons of Pern.
You are correct about Dragon Flight. However if they combined Dragon Flight, Dragon Quest, Dragon Song & Dragon Singer would work. These were all shorter and not as complex. The White Dragon was more complex and intricate.
I hope that a female director gets the gig. That’s my biggest wish for this project.
It needs a female scriptwriter as well. I don’t want the scripts all sexed up and male (the source material, as great as it was for female characters, is already overloaded with male characters). It needs the themes of female leadership and power teased out further and not glorify some of the dodgy violent aspects of it.
About 10 years ago I went to Dragon Con and Anne said she thought Peter Williams (Apophis from Stargate) would be a wonderful F’lar. In my head, I disagreed totally. I would hope they get ‘unknowns’ to play the main leads and (PLEASE)not recycle anyone from all the CW cable shows..
I think this is a great idea, I agree this can be either a hit or a flop. Please don’t mess it up. I have been an avid reader of this series and have always thought it would make a better series than some other sci-fi that I have seen.
These books have been read by three generations in my family. Finally Hollywood is tapping into this wonderful material. Also, glad the computer technology is available to bring the book to life.
Can’t wait to see the finished product. With the CGI they have at their disposial it should not be a problem. In the ares of actors , I think they should stick with proven actors in the parts.There are plenty of them to pick from.
Hmmm, love the whole series, but while current CGI can handle the dragons, they’ll have a hard time casting.
Who could possibly play Robinton? I could see Clive Owen as F’lar and Iaon Gruffudd as F’nor, but Lessa is as tricky as Robinton. 20 years old, tiny (gods help them if they get some bosomy hoochie!) As for Ellen Page, which I saw mentioned above? Please. Lessa was strong willed, not snarky.
I wonder if they’ll branch off into the Dragonsinger series?
Of course, I’d really like to see Helva, or Sassinak!
I started reading this series while I was active duty in the Air Force, early 80′s. And a s someone else said, and still am. Some of the books I have had so long there are even Hydraulic stains in them, lol and even tears, Master Robinton, no need to say more on that. I pray this comes to fruition, they would blow the minds of the “new” fans and they’d become collectors too. I’m a Todd McCaffrey fan now too, thanks Anne.
I’ve been hearing stories about a Pern movie for several years now, so I hope it actually goes through this time. Although… I’m also half afraid of how they’ll alter things. If it turns out anything like Eragon did, it’ll never last. Plus, as Betsy mentioned on April 13th, quite a few elements were taken from the Pern books and badly added to the whole Eragon thing. This likely means that when folks see the Pern movie they’ll think it’s a ripoff of Eragon (especially since that one was out as a movie first). And since that was a total failure… what will the future of the Pern movie be?
Yes, I’m concerned about this. I’ve been hooked on the Pern books for the last 19 years. I’d really rather not see it fall into ruin.
To Ripsnorter’s comment.
You do have a “male” lead character. I believe it is from “White Dragon”.
…
A boy with little to his credit, sees an egg. Frail, tiny egg “the boy knows the feeling of being helpless” there all alone shunned by its mother. The child was told that an imprinting would not happen for that dragon. The child rushes in to protest what he feels in his heart. With a jolt of electricity only known by others who were imprinted, the boy gains the eternal connection to this ……. White Dragon.
Funny… I don’t recall him as having “little to his credit”, or being “shunned by his mother”… especially since his mother died having him, and he was the infant Lord Holder less than an hour later.
I, for one, am thrilled!
Ever since I saw Avatar, my first thought was FINALLY the architecture was in place that could do the Dragonrider series justice!
Over the last month, I have been re-reading the series. It is part of my library and always will be. The characters and stories lend themselves, even now, to a whole new generation.
I will be following the production of this as closely as the studio allows
Hummmmmmmmm…..
I think they would have better luck with an animated version…
Think of an Adult version of The Hercluoids.
Somehow I can’t really see a live-action “Dragon” flick making anything but a dull thud as it hits box-office.
One of my favorite worlds to live in are the Pern books because of the relationship of the characters. Lessa and f’lar and the sexual aspect should appeal to Hollywood. I am 56 and started reading the books in Highschool ans still look for each new Pern/Dragonrider Books. Heres to a great life as a film
I’m 57 and thought I was familiar with most Sci-Fi authors. Somehow I had missed the Pern Books. But my sister-in-law introduced me to them about a year ago and I’m totally hooked! I sincerely hope Hollywood does credit to this wonderful series. I can’t wait for the movie! F’Lar and Lessa are among my favorite characters.
I’m one of the people who likes all of the new 3D technology, but I’m pretty convinced that the Pern movie(s?) would be better off without it- at first, certainly. Depending how they manage it that could change later.
As for the gender issue, I think it would be a complete betrayal of Anne’s (RIP), Todd’s and the many generations of Pern fans’ trust, because I’m pretty sure (correct me if I’m wrong here) that the idea behind most or all of the storylines was based on the fact she thought Sci-fi books didn’t depict female characters fairly.
Very interested to see how this turns out.
Any more news on when the move will start filming? I have had too many there is going to be a movie and then no movie. Is this a sure thing yet? I can find no info on it in 2012 only 2011.
Gordon, it’s shown as in development @ IMDb under the title of Dragonriders of Pern, with a projected release in 2013.