The Chronicles of Prydain

[Disneyphile]

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.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/chron ... 201733058/

[jazzflower92]

Looks like Disney will finally answer the call of fans who wanted them to do a proper adaption of the Chronicles of Pyrdain, hopefully it will be better than their last attempt.

[Tristy]

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.

http://variety.com/2016/film/news/chron ... 201733058/

And THAT is a live action version that seems warranted! Since 1) the animated movie was a hodgepodge of the different books and 2) that movie wasn't really successful. Wonder who'll they'll get to play the characters.

[JeanGreyForever]

I'm so excited for this! I was hoping Disney would take a crack at this book series, but I didn't think they ever would. The books really are far superior to the movie.

[Disney's Divinity]

OMG, YES!

[Rumpelstiltskin]

Unfortunately acquiring the movie rights does not always mean the movies are actually being made. But I'm optimistic. Could be it live action? Since we are seeing to many life-action remakes of previous animated Disney features, it sounds more likely. Especially if they plant to do more than one novel.

[unprincess]

I thought they already had the rights to the books?
anyways Im surprised they are considering revisiting them since they hate their own animated film so much, but I guess they cant ignore the popularity of stuff like LOTR & Game of Thrones.

[DisneyJedi]

Although I liked Cinderella and the upcoming Jungle Book does seem promising, I think this is the one animated Disney movie that desperately needs a live-action reboot.

The most unnecessary one we got was Maleficent, despite the acting and visuals being and amazing. Also, I don't consider Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland movie a reboot, but instead an unofficial sequel to the 1951 animated movie

[Semaj]

This is one of few times where I'll say that a remake is welcome. The Black Cauldron was frustrating to watch, given what was intended for it, versus what they ultimately came up with.

[Disney's Divinity]

I consider this a new adaptation of the books and not a re-make in any sense of the word. That would imply Disney would ever want to re-make the animated film or that the animated film inspired the decision to make this film (or, rather, these films?).

I'm sure there will be very little similarity to the animated film outside of the obvious carry-over of the source material.

[estefan]

I thought they already had the rights to the books?

It's been a little over thirty years since they've touched the property. Film studios don't keep the rights to books forever. The Edgar Rice Burroughs estate have already gotten the John Carter film rights back from Disney. If Fox goes ten years without making a Fantastic Four or X-Men movie, those rights also revert back to Marvel.

Also, I don't consider Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland movie a reboot, but instead an unofficial sequel to the 1951 animated movie

I personally don't even see it as that, but rather a sequel to the book since it shares so few similarities to the animated film.

[disneyprincess11]

Hold up! Black Cauldron is a part of The Chronicles of Prydain?! Wow! I thought Tolken wrote it. But, yeah. Glad they're exploring BC again. It's a decent Disney movie.

[Barbossa]

Hope they don't give it the Narnia treatment, do two movies then ship it off to another studio...

[Disney's Divinity]

Hope they don't give it the Narnia treatment, do two movies then ship it off to another studio...

I think that's unlikely. TCoP has an overarching storyline, where as most of the Narnia books are self-contained and often don't even feature the same characters (though of course things connect from book to book, it's not necessary to read more than one to understand what's going on for the most part). Plus, the first book written for Narnia is much more well-known and has more name-value than the rest of the series. The only way that would happen with this series is if the first one flops, and they felt they'd lose money making the sequels.

I'm really unsure how TCoP would do. It's not really a well-known series to the public, but I hope the movie's great and is financially successful.

[Flanger-Hanger]

If Disney's interested I think Prydain would work as a TV series too, with each book representing one season.

[milojthatch]

Hope they don't give it the Narnia treatment, do two movies then ship it off to another studio...

Agreed. I'm cautiously optimistic about how this will turn out for now. I'm just tired of fantasy book series being turned into film series and then ended before all of the books could become movies. I'd like to see studios commit to the full series or not make any of the films.

[Rumpelstiltskin]

It does make sense, since times have changed and live action fantasy is popular. In the 80s we had stuff like "The Beastmaster", "Conan the Barbarian", "The Barbarian Brothers", "Ator the Fighting Eagle" and so on. But also "Legend" with Tom Cruise, "The NeverEnding Story" and "Krull".

Still, live action could not do justice to all fantasy back then. Lord of the Rings would not have been possible. And maybe an animated version of Chronicles of Prydain would do it more justice than live action. Now when the budgets and interests are bigger, there is more experience and modern visual effects, Disney could turn this into something really big.

[Disney's Divinity]

I finally got around to re-reading this series. While I love these books still, I have to think that they would be difficult to translate to screen in some ways. Taran Wanderer in particular is meandering and episodic—purposely, I know, but it still would be such a trudging, uninteresting film (sometimes what works for books won't work for films, vice versa, and so on). And both TW and CoL have the added disadvantage of separating one member of the party (Eilonwy) from the rest, which was a pretty big void to me while I was reading considering she adds a dimension to the group just like the other three that’s lost in her absence. TW especially irritated me, since I could make sense of her being absent for one book (CoL), but to then be absent in the next one, too? Plus, there’s the point about Disney possibly dropping the series if the sequels don’t make as much as the first movie, like with Narnia. So I was just thinking about how the series would probably work better in-film as a trilogy for a lot of reasons, but especially that it might make sure that even if the second one didn't do as well as the first, they might still put out the third by being so far along. Anyway, I thought about how they could go about condensing the story and, yes, I know none of this will happen, and it’s all for my own amusement (and I doubt anyone will respond…. ), but…

Movie 1 - The plot of The Book of Three, with Achren and Magg kidnapping Eilonwy later in the story after the destruction of her castle like in Castle of Llyr, with Eilonwy’s heritage being revealed here. This happens near the Black Lake, and the Fair Folk are the ones who stop Achren and Magg. Taran & co. leave her with the Fair Folk; Magg escapes. The Fair Folk give Eilonwy the horn she would have found in CoL, saying this is all that’s left of her heritage since the Castle of Llyr vanished long ago and the Fair Folk were fond of Llyr. Instead of giving it to Taran, she keeps it for herself. After the death of the Horned King, Gwydion’s judgment of Achren from CoL is given here instead, and she goes to Caer Dallben’s with the others (appearing at Dallben's in the next two as she does in TW, helping with the kitchen/farm work). Taken from TW, Taran expresses some desire to know who his parents are, and whether he’s of noble birth throughout the story, in his conversations with Dallben, Gwydion, Fflewdur, and Eilonwy. Dallben or Gwydion (on Dallben's behalf) tell Eilonwy that she will be sent to CoL to be receive her education as a lady.
Movie 2 - The Black Cauldron. Smoit and Taran have some of the conversation they would have had in TW transferred to the meeting at Caer Dallben’s. Rhun, Prince of Mona, is one of the men who comes to Caer Dallben’s, with his father and Eilonwy (who had went to Mona for a lady’s education in the time between films, taken from CoL and TW). After Rhun is put in the group with Taran and Ellydir to follow behind, the King of Mona asks Taran to make his vow about Rhun like in CoL. Rhun is difficult to keep track of throughout the movie, just like in CoL (getting lost in the woods, etc.). On the way to Morva, after they've lost the Huntsmen, the first meeting with Doran in TW happens here instead. While Taran is with the Witches, he asks them about his parentage before they leave with the Cauldron, transferring some of the dialogue that would've been in TW with Orddu giving him the advice about the Mirror of Llunet. After Morva, they are transporting the Cauldron, when Rhun gets lost in the woods which is how they meet Llyan in Glew's house (which is in the area around the southern cantrevs rather than the Isle of Mona in-film). They try to move onwards, but Llyan won’t allow them, and she unintentionally knocks the Cauldron over swatting at one of their attempts to escape and it rolls downhill and into a hole leading underground. Fflewdur plays his harp to let them escape like in CoL, then they go underground to get the Cauldron. The events with Giant Glew transpire; he throws the Cauldron above-ground for them, but then won’t let them leave without using one to transform himself to normal size again—an exchange he didn’t tell them about. They find a way out thanks to Rhun, just like in CoL, then they begin moving the Cauldron again and end up at the River where Taran and Ellidyr fight. At the end of the movie, Taran asks Dallben to send help to Glew with Kaw.
Movie 3 - The High King. Glew comes to Dallben with Gwydion and Fflewdur instead of with Eilonwy/Rhun like in the book; he got picked up during Arawn's deception to steal Dyrnwyn. Taran & co. stay with Aeddan one night on the way to King Smoit’s kingdom (the meeting from TW being put here). After the struggle with Magg at Smoit’s stronghold and Gwydion has asked Taran to go to the Commots to recruit people because they’ll need the numbers, the story of TW happens. He has to prove himself to various people (forging, weaving, pottery, Llonio, Llassar) like in TW before the Commot folk will agree to follow him and the Sons of Don in the battle against Arawn’s forces. This part is severely reduced so it doesn’t last as many days (or take up so much screentime), the work Taran does mostly shown in a montage and the characters not given much dialogue/definition; only the shepherds are given a scene to themselves for the sake of showing Taran's second meeting with Doran. After convincing the Commots to join Gwydion, he goes to see the Mirror of Llunet (while everyone is arming themselves) to find out about his parentage because of Orddu's clue in Movie 2 since he’s thinking about proposing to Eilonwy. The fight with Doran at Llunet happens (since Eilonwy is there, Doran attacks her during the fight to further threaten Taran, carrying over some of the dialogue from THK). The fight at Llunet is the final appearance of Doran instead of him showing up again in Annuvin. Medwyn’s wolves come at the end of the fight and kill Doran, like in THK. Taran accepts that his birth is unknown like in TW. The Commots and Taran & co. leave for Caer Dathyl. Later, instead of Taran using the horn on Craddoc, Eilonwy uses the horn when they are lost in their attempts to catch up to the Cauldron-Born (both as an explanation for how the Fair Folk miraculously appear where they are and to give Eilonwy more relevance outside the bauble, which makes sense since it was an object from Llyr anyway.).

Cut: Morda and his threat on the Fair Folk in TW; Goryon and Gast from TW; the death of Annlaw in THK, since his part would be reduced in the montage and there would be no impact in showing a random character death to the film audience; Teleria/the Island of Mona from CoL (they can be mentioned by Eilonwy at the beginning of Movie 2 on her return to Dallben's, but they don't appear onscreen); Craddoc from TW.

I hate to lose Morda, who we learn killed Eilonwy’s mother, or the episode with Craddoc, but I don’t think either is absolutely necessary. Taran doesn’t need the debt of the Fair Folk he gets from killing Morda since Eilonwy would use the horn here (plus, we already have a multitude of villains) and Taran's identity issues would still work without Craddoc, imo. Maybe transfer his anxiety at the possibility of being a farmer (and therefore unable to marry Eilonwy) to the night they stay with Aeddan, who struggles just to maintain crops to feed himself because of the petty warring, with him voicing the interior thoughts from the book to Gwydion or Fflewdur.

I had thought that the Mirror of Llunet could be inside the cave that Doli takes them into in THK (where they have to then retrace their steps because of Glew), since it would add some overall story relevance to going into the cave without interrupting the urgency to catch up to the Cauldron-Born. I don't really like having them meet Doran in Morva, but I couldn't think where else and he should be introduced before the final movie, I think (I initially thought he could appear after they've left Achren's fallen castle, but they're too busy being chased by Cauldron-Born to meet him and besides he'd logically steal Dyrnwyn from them.). I suppose they could cut Glew since he's on the fringe of the story--and not very likable either--but I'd rather not cut unless they have to.

Overall, I'm really looking forward to the films more now. Mostly, I'm curious who they will get to play the various characters. I'd prefer mostly unknowns with the proper accents, but they may go for more well-known actors. I just hope the first film does well... I don't want this to end up with only the first book made and nothing follows...

[HarryCanyon]

I would not call this new version a "remake" but a new adaptation of the books, a remake is only when it's based on a motion picture produced earlier/and an original script not based on any book like say The Blob or Nutty Professor which are true remakes since are based on original scripts. A new adaptation means a new adaptation of a book that has nothing to do with the previous adaptation like say The Thing or any film based on Moby Dick.

Some complaint the original film was nothing like the books, is that no different than The Little Mermaid when in the original story the mermaid died but Ariel lives? yet everyone didn't complaint about Little Mermaid and had a good time watching it.

I enjoy the earlier film for what it is as it's nostalgia since it was the first Disney animated film i saw in theaters when i was 4 and enjoyed it. Who thinks it's Disney's attempt to be one of those fantasy animated epics like The Dark Crystal, The Secret of NIMH, The Last Unicorn, The Flight of Dragons, Heavy Metal, Wizards, Fire and Ice, Ninja Scroll and Princess Mononoke? or is Heavy Metal, Wizards, Fire and Ice, Ninja Scroll and Mononoke more for adult audiences?

[jazzflower92]

I do say this series needs another attempt at an adaption, because the last time was stricken with a lot of executive meddling from Katzenberg. Since this will probably be different from the 1985 movie, I think it would be good to have Arawn in the series along with the Horned King. You know originally Arawn was going to be the villain of the movie, until the animators thought the Horned King would be liked better due to him having horns like other past villains like Maleficent and Chernabog. And it's also said in the original movie that Arawn's spirit is trapped within the Cauldron.

http://disney.wikia.com/wiki/Arwan