Wheel of Time TV pilot fiasco

[Ray McCarthy]

The best films & TV I think are commissioned for the medium rather than adapted novels. It's not like we are running out of creativity that we have to mine books for visual medium. Books are adapted purely because the studio thinks a known title will be easier to market. Hence also long running franchises and sequels. Due to the investment required the studios seem to be getting ever more risk averse to produce new material. Yet digital HD cameras instead of film, better blue screen (perhaps in reality neon orange) techniques and CGI should mean actors on location for less time. Digital Editing. TV and Cinema ought to be cheaper to produce today. They ought to be more adventurous with specially commissioned material, not less. Has the production process got too bloated?
Will we see a growth in lean indie Cinema / TV production done with Actors from local theatre and consumer HD equipment?

 

[Peter Vida]

Very disjointed and confusing though i have to say, Zane was pretty good.

 

[Werthead]

Red Eagle de-escalate the situation.

Red Eagle are no longer suing Robert Jordan's widow, but discussions remain "ongoing" about the ownership of the film/TV rights.

My guess is that Red Eagle either 1) deliberately launched the lawsuit so they could withdraw it later on as a pre-emptive bargaining chip, or 2) realised they were on a hiding to nothing and quit whilst they were ahead.

At the moment I'm going to guess that the Jordan Estate technically get the rights back, but the Red Eagle company retains a nominal producer's credit. If the WHEEL OF TIME TV series does end up with Sony, that would at least make sense because Red Eagle set up the deal, even if it falls to the Estate to execute it.

So hopefully a final end to this mess is in sight, because WoT is in danger of missing the boat as other fantasy properties are picked up all over the shop.

One thing that is interesting: Universal may also be back interested since they missed out big time in the recent D&D legal shenanigans. If they want a slice of the fantasy pie, this is their best bet.

 

[HareBrain]

Mmm, fantasy pie ... *drool*

 

[Ashaman]

According to his wife, the legal problems have been resolved and we should be getting ready for an announcement by a big studio of a new series for WoT. Let's hope they wont butcher it like they did with Goodkind's Sword of Truth (Legend of the seeker) or Butcher's Dresden Files or with Brooks Shannara Chronicles recently!
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