Pern Novels Picked Up by Copperheart
Anne McCaffrey’s Dragonriders of Pern novels have been optioned by Steve Hoban of the Oscar winning Canadian film production company Copperheart Entertainment
“I decided that Pern had to be done right and I wouldn’t let it go to someone unless I was certain that they were committed to excellence,” says Anne McCaffrey. “Steve brings not only his proven talent but his very great enthusiasm to the endeavor. I’m thrilled to be working with an Academy Award® winning Producer. Pern is in excellent hands!”
“Bringing the Dragonriders of Pern saga to the big screen has been a dream of mine ever since I first read the books and, like millions of other people around the world, fell in love with them,” says Copperheart’s Steve Hoban. “‘Lord of the Rings’, ‘Harry Potter’ and the ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ have all been adapted with enormous success and the Pern series is in the same league. Anne is a master storyteller who has created a captivating mix of action, adventure, mystery, romance, and intrigue – not to mention intelligent, telepathic dragons linked to their human riders in a mystical bond – that will appeal to the movie-going public around the globe.”
Anne McCaffrey is the award-winning author of the Dragonriders of Pern series. She is the recipient of the SFWA Grandmaster Nebula, the American Library Association’s Lifetime Literary Achievement, and is one of the 2006 inductees into the Science Fiction Hall of Fame. She has been writing for over fifty years, her Dragonriders of Pern series has won the hearts of millions, becoming an established classic in the field. You can visit her on the web at: http://www.annemccaffrey.net.
Copperheart Entertainment is a Toronto-based production company established by Steve Hoban to produce live-action, large format and animation films. Hoban is one of Canada’s most successful independent producers having produced a diverse body of work including the 2005 Oscar® winning animated short, ‘Ryan’; the Imax®3D film, ‘Cyberworld’; and the popular ‘Ginger Snaps’ feature films. He is currently in post-production on the remake of the 70s horror classic ‘Black Christmas’. You can visit Copperheart on the web at: http://www.copperheart.ca.
oh this is great news! always been a great fan of the series, glad to see someone has finally decided to put it on film. I wish them all the best with it, and hope they do it justice.
Tim
Alright I’m a big fan of the Pern novels and I’m glad that they are coming to the big screen. Now just let us hope that they get translated well to the big screen.
[...] Pern Novels Picked Up By Copperheart [Slice of SciFi] [...]
Okay its been two years since this has happened, and a year since its been picked up by Copper Heart Entertainment. I hear that they have settled on a script, but now I hope that they have been able to sellect actors for the mains. For my suggestions if you’ll listen/read:
F’lar- Vigo Mortainson
F’nor- Hugh Jackman
Robinton- Jhon Reese Davies [gimly, Salla in Indiana Jones]
John Reese Davies as Robinton? no way, great voice, but not the right face…maybe Patrick Stewart?
But who for Lessa? Rachel Weis? (too sweet of face?) Anne Hathaway? (too annoying of voice.-still she did well in “Becoming Jane” I thought) hmmm
Weis is too cute of face, How about Kate Beckinsale from Underworld. Since Lessa was still young in the first 3 novels the movie is going off of. And Vigo is too old for the role of F’lar. Plus the actors for F’lar and F’nor need to look somewhat alike since they are brothers. Let’s hope in actually goes through this time though, because this isn’t the first attempt at a Pern movie…it’s like the 3rd.
I think it’d be best if they used a bunch of…
1) Skilled foreign actors/actresses none of us has ever really heard of
2) Skilled American actors that only some of us may have heard of
3) Skilled nobodies who can actually act
If they use very well-established actors/actresses, I’d think we’d just be seeing those people on screen rather than the characters they’re trying to portray…
Maybe I just hate Hollywood, but…I dunno.
I agree with Olivia. I think they should hire actors who aren’t well known. Though I absolutely adore Patrick Stewart I would see him as Prof. X or Capt. Picard instead of Robinton.
I just really hope that this doesn’t turn out to be a bust like the tv series was. If they can do ‘Lord of the Rings’ and ‘Narnia’ there’s no reason they couldn’t make a decent Pern movie.
Is there newer “news” somewhere? This is now 2 years old. No updates on Copperheart website. Anything?
Sadly, nothing new from Copperheart Entertainment as of this date (June 15, 2008).
I’m getting extremely frustrated by the lack of news. I wasn’t pleased by the choice of Copperheart to produce the movie (I mean, who the hell are they?). I feel that if the movie ever does make it to theaters it will suck so badly that we will forever be sorry we asked for a Pern movie. I don’t think we will ever see a Pern movie in Anne McCaffery’s (or Todd’s) lifetime.
Finally a liitle news about what’s happening can’t wait till I can see the movie
i was thinking mabye ian mckellan as robinton since he getting on in years now and both can talk quite well.
Howzabout Summer Glau for Lessa? I know that she’s a hottie but a bit of makeup does wonders. Otherwise she fits the discription perfictly and is one heck of an actress to boot.
Ever since I first read her first 3 when they came out. I KNEW if someone ever made a movie and did it WELL. It will set her and her family for far beyond her lifetime. I kept hoping some one like Spielberg or Jackson would read the White Dragon and see that it would be another step, a merge of Starwars and LOTR that can take everyone who loves these stories, on another fantasy ride that would be as unforgetable as those two well loved series. Please DO YOUR ULTIMATE BEST and you WILL not regret it!
I don’t know how I missed the original post of this. I have fond memories of the books, and it’s been long enough that I might dig them out of storage and revisit them.
As far as a movie (or movies) . . . I’m skeptical as to the amount of resources devoted to this. It would have to be a CGI-intensive effort, and I think the sweeping range of the story might make it difficult to compartmentalize into discrete movies.
LOTR was made with a commitment to all three movies, and portions of them were shot concurrently (i.e. as a single project). I don’t think anyone has approved that kind of expenditure for for this effort, but it would be nice if they would .
. . . one can hope . . .
I checked imdb.com a few days ago. They’ve got a proposed release YEAR of 2010. No information on actors yet. Patrick Stewart, I think, should be in the movie but not as Robinton. Kate Beckinsale would be great as Lessa.
I just hope they don’t try to cram all the books into one 2-hour movie. Instead, I’d rather see all the books made into separate movies. Like they did with LOTR and Narnia.
I like Kate Beckinsale but she’s too old for the role. Remeber, Lessa was young, barely 20 if that, and she’s supposed to be short. Anna Hathaway is too cute. I think it should go to a scrappy little unknown actress.
Viggo Mortensen as F’lar, though, YEAH!
I don’t know why, but I think Matthew McCaunaghey (murdered the spelling there) would make a good young Robinton. He is able capable of doing a more serious role ie:A time to kill…and I think he is capable of capturing Robinton’s sense of humor. (plus Robinton is supposed to be a hottie!!!)
I just did a search and now it sounds like 2011! What’s the deal? It’s not that intricate besides the dragons and Thread at the last portion of DragonFlight! Still waiting, been waiting since I was 16 now going on 43…..hello Copperheart!!!
Hans Matheson looked exactly like F’lar in Les Miserables, if compared to Ann McCaffrey’s People Of Pern rendition. He is 34 but has a fresh face and has matured nicely since. Currently he is in The Tudors on Showtime. Remember F’lar was much older than Lessa in DragonFlight. I believe it was by about 10 years. Matthew McConaughey would be an awesome younger Robinton!
Summer Glau can play anybody she likes as far as I’m concerned! It IS frustrating waiting for news of the movie and nothing is certain even when dates have been announced. In the meantime though, there’s always the two Pern music CDs the wife and I put together with Anne, who, by the way, has her own ideas about who should play whom in the movie .. : -)
Shameless self promotion I know .. sigh.
Hey Mike! I was just on the website two days ago, thinking about purchasing those two CD’s….I do believe you were sent as a “sign” for me to purchase them! Haha…
I personally think using talented unknown actors and actresses would be the best option. so much money will need to be spent on CGI and the creation of a believable “pern” that actors that dont cost as much as famous stars would be a better way to go.
I just hope that everyone remembers how SMALL Lessa is supposed to be. I was forgiving when Hugh Jackman was cast as Wolverine, seeing as he is a great actor, but I will be particularly peeved if Lessa is played by some 5′8 model.
I agree with Phoenix about using talented unknown actors. However, what would everyone think about Jonathan Frakes (Star Trek: TNG’s William T Riker) as Robinton?
As for Summer Glau…love the actress, but she’s too tall for Lessa.
Hi, everyone,
On another list I’m on, the people are making suggestions on who they would like to play which part. *snort* One of the people suggest Amy Winehouse to play either Lessa or Menolly.