U.A. secure big deal for RANGER'S APPRENTICE
Children's fantasy movies haven't resulted in the necessary box office returns recently to make them at all worthwhile. ERAGON, THE DARK IS RISING and THE GOLDEN COMPASS have been financial disappointments for their respected studio's over the last year or so. The problem has never been getting asses in seats, because for an ordinary movie THE GOLDEN COMPASS' $258 million worldwide would be a massive success, it's just how much it costs to put them together are enormous. The Hollywood Reporter say that United Artists are the latest studio about to take the children's fantasy gamble. They have just paid a seven figure sum to secure the rights to RANGER'S APPRENTICE, a fantasy series written by Australian author John Flanagan which was first published in his homeland in 2004 and has now remarkably seen a further six books published.
The series follows the adventures of an orphan boy named Will who becomes an apprentice ranger and fights to keep the mythical kingdom of Araluen safe from invaders, traitors and other dangers with the help of his master Halt.Presumably there is more to it than that, otherwise we are in store for another bore fest on par with THE DARK IS RISING. The first book is titled THE RUINS OF GORLAN, which undoubtedly won't be the name of the film. It's not yet known if U.A. plan to film all seven books, or condense them down into several or maybe even one smaller chunk. Sadly it would seem that Paul Haggis (CRASH, MILLION DOLLAR BABY) is in talks to write and direct the picture in what would be something of a career divergence for him. I've gone to lengths in the past about my dislike for his work but maybe with a fantasy movie he will be a little more relaxed with his storytelling. Interesting move from U.A. Since Tom Cruise resurrected the studio they have only optioned smaller political genre affairs such as LIONS FOR LAMBS and PINKVILLE. They did however tap up the rights to the British 60's spy series THE CHAMPIONS with Guillermo del Toro attached to direct but today's news is easily their highest profile acquisition to date.
