"Elric of Melnibone, Movie or figure range" Topic

I wonder if we will ever see another Melnibone figure range
(there was a Citadel one years ago) or a movie?

I still have my minis, most of them unpainted. They were really nice. Perry Brothers?

Paul Weitz (who did The Golden Compass) and brother Chris (who did American Pie?!?) optioned Elric a few years ago, but I haven't heard any buzz here.

Minis-wise, yeah, I was fond of Citadel's Melniboneans, and liked how they became Warhammer's High Elves.

Wondering what would be different enough to sell them over using High Elves?

Considering the subject matter, I seriously doubt an Elric movie will be made.

Regarding the subject matter; Hollywood seems to like "going dark" for many of its presentations, so I don't see that as a hang-up.

Maybe finding a script and storyline that feeds to masses instead of niche? It's not enough to make money – HW seems to think sci-fi and fantasy have to be a BLOCKBUSTER or its not worth the outlay.

Sad because you don't NEED outlandish amounts of cash to get credible Special Effects results on the screen anymore.

Elric would make an excellent HBO series.

If a movie does come to pass they should get Guillermo Del Toro to direct. His style would fit perfectly.

I do agree both with Del Toro and HBO.
And I do miss the old Citadel range
link

"Blood and souls for my Lord Arioch!" Lots of sex and violence with exotic humanoids, magic and dragons, genocidal plots… how could it miss?

Del Toro's "Hellboy 2" had some Melnibonean-esque characters in it, so that's something.

A great range. Really wish GW would consider remastering some of these older ranges and bring them back.

They might not have the rights to do it anymore.

Plus it would get pretty tiresome hearing "$X for that!?! I paid a dime for 15 figures back in 1986!"

I would also love to see a well done Elric movie and figure line. I have a lot of the old Eternal Champion figures, they are nice and well sculpted but a little dated at this point. Certainly someone sculpting a new line based, stylistically, on the Gould art would go a long way.

If you could get your hands on some of the Foundry revanent elves they would probably be as close to Melnibonean aristocracy as you are going to get.

Pictors, agree that the Gould style would work, as much as I liked the old GW range.

As for a movie or TV series, who'd be suggestions for the leading role? Someone like Paul Bettany perhaps.

GW no longer have the rights to any Moorcock properties. He had a long dispute with them regarding the theft of various concepts and ideas (CHaos Cross, anyone?).

On the plus side Eureka have a large range of Granbretan figures.

I read the books in high school. Based on Hollywood's track record I have little doubt they would screw up the movie. Of course there would be lots of sex and violence, and rediculiouly unrealistic action sequences. All the squares will be checked for a typical Hollywood made fantasy movie, except it would not be Melnibone as we knew it in the novel nor would it be the Elric we knew but instead your typical cookie cutter action hero is what we would see in the big screen as we realize we just wasted our time on total trash. But maybe if HBO did a mini series there may be a chance of capturing the books on film, just maybe.

On the plus side Eureka have a large range of Granbretan figures

do you have a link please

I actually proxied those figures as my Dark Elf army

Doubt that an Elric film will ever get the green light. For one thing as I understand it Michael Moorcock is extremely difficult to deal with and I just could not see him allowing any thing being made without his full control. Besides he has learned from his close friend Allen Moore what can happen to your work once the film executives get a hold of your property.

Still it could be done and done well but it would be considerably different than the books. I remember reading everything that Moorcock wrote in the late 1970's and early '80s. Elric was of course one of my favorites but it is dark and not at all a happy ending. And there is the rub Hollywood hates unhappy endings and things that do not end with a neat all questions wrapped up in a neat bow finish. Then again I see how popular Game of Thrones has been and perhaps Elric's time has come to be make into either a film or series.

I am finally seeing some of the characters of my youth and the genres I enjoy get a more fair treatment in film and television than they once did. Despite the awful promotion of the film I thought John Carter was a faithful update of the Edgar Rice Burroughs character. Too bad Disney completely dropped the ball on that one. However, the recent Tarzan film with Alexander Skarsgar was fantastic and I hope the film does well enough to get a squeal.

Because CGI gets better and better and due in large part the success of the LOTR films we are seeing more money going into fantasy and science fiction media. While there is a lot of awful stuff being made there are some gems coming around more often than before.

I hope the film does well enough to get a squeal.

I found this typo both appropriate and very amusing.

Yea that is what I get for not paying attention.

No pigs were harmed or abused in the making of this movie.

GRRM has issues with what HBO did with GoT. And he worked in Hollywood (or at least TV) before, so he knows "how the sausage is made."
A control freak would not be so understanding.

If I remember correctly, the studio had paid 2 of the 3 instalments required to take up the option. The last one was not paid as they had decided not to go any further with the project. Shame….