[Cross-commented at L&P]
You know, given the high probability of the film being awful, it might be a good thing that they’re not doing it. A novel that long would need to be split over several films a la Peter Jackson’s LOTR, or else done on TV as a miniseries (and I mean that in the classic Roots-Shogun-Thornbirds sense — these days, they call it a miniseries if it takes 4 hours. Atlas Shrugged would have to be the length of a classic mini-series, 7 or 8 days type thing). If they’re thinking they can do that novel in one 2.5 hour movie, there’s virtually no chance it wouldn’t suck. If you’re not going to do it right, please don’t do it at all. (And yes, that applies to the would-be producers of a film version of Watchmen also. DO NOT WANT.)
[Cross-commented at L&P]
You know, given the high probability of the film being awful, it might be a good thing that they’re not doing it. A novel that long would need to be split over several films a la Peter Jackson’s LOTR, or else done on TV as a miniseries (and I mean that in the classic Roots-Shogun-Thornbirds sense — these days, they call it a miniseries if it takes 4 hours. Atlas Shrugged would have to be the length of a classic mini-series, 7 or 8 days type thing). If they’re thinking they can do that novel in one 2.5 hour movie, there’s virtually no chance it wouldn’t suck. If you’re not going to do it right, please don’t do it at all. (And yes, that applies to the would-be producers of a film version of Watchmen also. DO NOT WANT.)