It used to be that some books were considered “unfilmable” – Lord Of The Rings being a prime example. But now, if a tome has been a best seller (or indeed might be, since some are snapped up before they’re published), Hollywood is only too happy to crack its wallet and dish the dosh to secure the rights.
Take The Dangerous Book For Boys, which became a big hit over here last year and arrived in Americaland this May. You’ll likely have seen, bought or been given a copy, penned by Conn and Hal Iggulden, which included info on everything from knots and survival to famous scraps. Despite the fact that it doesn’t, er, have a story, Disney and super-producer Scott Rudin have decided it’s perfect as the basis for a movie. There’s no word on exactly how they will achieve that, but apparently it will likely be a tale of how fathers tackle raising their sons as they try to mix protectiveness with letting the brats enjoy adventure.
We can’t wait. Next week, Warners will buy the Oxford English Dictionary, thereby letting the studio make a movie based on every word listed. Expect Aardvark Aadventure early in 2009.
