Elric Movie

[Anonymous]

Elric casting

Considering Brad Pitt, I can actually picture him as Elric from seeing him in dramatic roles such as in Interview w. the Vampire, and Legends of the Fall. His face isn't exactly Elric, but he's charasmatic enough, and he's someone who won't necessarily need to be fitted with a wig. hehe

Michael,
so is the first movie basically going to chronologically cover the books, I mean, is the first movie going to basically be Elric of Melnibone and Sailor on the Seas of Fate put together?
The battle with Agak and Gagak would seem like a good climax, it's been awhile since i've read the books though, so I could be mistaken.
Is the screenplay finalized?
I would guess you have a thorough exposition explaining what the Eternal Champion is since all of the heros will appear/ unite to fight the alien threat. I can envision an exposition on the Eternal Champion, lastly speaking about Elric which segways onto the albino sitting on the Ruby throne, watching the courtiers dance.
Yes? No?
you could give us a taste, eh?

--Jer

[Anonymous]

Re:

After seeing some of Yoshitaka Amano's illustrations for the Japanese edition of the ELRIC stories I immediately thought of Jude Law as Elric. He's a big enough name to satisfy Universal's wish for a star and has proven he can play pretty much anything ...

[Anonymous]

LotR and Spiderman -- not to mention Star Wars -- proved that big-name actors aren't necessary for a fantasy movie to be a success. In fact, casting a big-name actor would probably detract from the film, because of instead of watching Elric on the screen, you'd be waching ***JUDE LAW*** (or whoever) as Elric. Too distracting. And speaking of Jude Law, he's in too many films as it is. Let somebody else have a chance.

[Anonymous]

Stormbringer on Film

Can you imagine Stormbringer on film?
It's going to take a talented team to bring "it" to life.
Definitely gonna need a team of digital animators--
The runes glowing, the black radiance...
I wonder what a black radiance will look like ?
(Like Acroyear's sword in the Micronauts?)
Or showing how a soul is sucked from
the sword's victims?

It's gonna be great! ;D

[Caladus]

I've not been able to get to a computer for a while so I have only just noticed the Orlando Bloom et al fervour. I’m glad that the other contributors agree that “Hollywood� casting could really screw up this project.

The amazing thing about books is that the action takes place directly in your somatosensory cortex (or wherever imagination lives). As such it’s entirely possible that each person has a different image of what the characters look like. For me, the descriptions mould the mind’s view rather than dictate it. Would it be possible to play on this? Could the film be made totally from the 1st person so that the image of the lead character remains in the realm of the imagination?

So who did I picture? Richard E Grant! :lol:

[Arioch]

well ive heard some of the names youve mentioned Moorcock, but the one that really stuck out was Jonathan Rhys-Meyers. Everything ive seen in him has been outstandingly acted and i think he could pull off the look quite well. He is fantastic in Titus with Anthony Hopkins.

Altho you have mentioned Jude Law and having watched gattaca again recently i must agree he would be quite good too.

[flamingo]

Aid me now Arioch. AID ME!

Hi Arioch, nice name.

My favourite line in the Elric books was when Elric was in some battle against insurmountable odds so he decides to invoke Arioch. He yells, "Aid me now Arioch. AID ME!" or something along those lines. I always imagined the complete desperation and the fear in Elrics voice as he yelled it.

I would *love* it if this line could be in one of the Elric movies. It's so cool. I used to yell it out in the shower with great emotion much to the annoyance of my then born again christian housemates.

[EverKing]

haha! That reminds me of Drama my Freshman year in highschool...

I was shortly after I first discovered Mr. Moorcock (I just can't seem to bring myself to call you Michael or Mike *chuckle*) and Elric--Thank you Tad Williams!!--we had to do a 100 word "Character Sketch" and I chose, obviously, Elric.

I started it with an anguished cry to Arioch that mellowed out into a despairing plea for death. Of course Stormbringer came into it with references to "my drug" and "my pet" not to mention a line that may have been a little reisque for a conservative chruch luthern community, "Tell me, my pet, did Cymoril's soul taste as good as I remember her body tasting?" From there it transitioned to blood lust (the sword was in my hands y'know) and ended with the classic battle cry of "Blood and souls for Lord Arioch!"

It ended up being over 500 words...but it did the trick. For the last few years of highschool anyone who saw that Elric sketch of mine was mildly afraid of me *lol* I don't think I captured the character as well as I could now as I was only going off of Tales of the White Wolf and Stormbringer, but it was good enough for the Drama teacher to ask me to perform it for several other classes (you have any idea how annoying it is to get oil based makeup off just to put it back on and take it back off again and again?).

Sorry, I felt like sharing that...one my few enjoyable memories of highschool.

Back on subject though...I'd have to say Paul Bettany would be an excelent choice for Elric. I think some of the actors people here have flat out denied could pull of the character, but I also agree that some of them are just too recognisable (Bratt Pitt for instance..I think his status as a sex symbol has made alot of people overlook the fact that his a rather talented actor).

Best of luck, Mr. Moorcock, with your Hollywood dealings! I can't wait to see it, who knows, maybe I'll even try to be an extra!

[byaself]

Paul Bettany would be perfect not only in look but his acting range is perfect for Elric. He is great in Master and Commander as well as in A Beautiful Mind.

As much as casting Elric is important so is the look of the film. Michael, are Robert Gould and/or Jim Crawthorn onboard to be used as the primary conceptual artists for the film when the process gets to that stage? They might serve to be very valuable resources just as Alan Lee and John Howe were for LOTR. Robert and Jim do your vision such justice in the visual medium and I can not help but think that would add a lot to the film.

[Arioch]

Hi Arioch, nice name.

My favourite line in the Elric books was when Elric was in some battle against insurmountable odds so he decides to invoke Arioch. He yells, "Aid me now Arioch. AID ME!" or something along those lines. I always imagined the complete desperation and the fear in Elrics voice as he yelled it.

I would *love* it if this line could be in one of the Elric movies. It's so cool. I used to yell it out in the shower with great emotion much to the annoyance of my then born again christian housemates.

Those were some of my favorite parts of the book. Sometimes i enjoyed ariochs character more than Elrics, but only sometimes. I was always looking forward to when Elric would call him, whether he helped him or not it was always great. And his part in Revenge of the Rose with the Clock was incredible.

You KNOW hes got to say it in the movie at least Once. We GOT to see arioch...but who would play him?? The youth he appears as i mean.

[Leaf]

Re: Stormbringer on Film

Can you imagine Stormbringer on film?
It's going to take a talented team to bring "it" to life.
Definitely gonna need a team of digital animators--
The runes glowing, the black radiance...
I wonder what a black radiance will look like ?
(Like Acroyear's sword in the Micronauts?)
Or showing how a soul is sucked from
the sword's victims?

It's gonna be great! ;D

I can also hear the eldritch moaning coming from the blade as it is swung back and forth... ;)

Surely a post-production team would develop a definite character for the demon-sword as the team in LOTR did for the Ring changing the quality of its sounds as it come nearer to Mordor...
I would hope that the need/hate relationship between Elric and Stormbringer would be extensively portrayed in the movie. I deem it to be one of the major features of the books.

(I apologize for any mistake in my english but i'm not native-language)

[Anonymous]

Your English is perfect.
Perfecto! Bellisimo!

(I don't know Italian!! :0 )

Actually it is perfect except for one sentence where it would
be better to say:
"...as the team in LOTR did for the Ring,
changing the quality of its sounds as it 'came closer' to Mordor..."

or 'got closer to Mordor' or 'approached Mordor.'

I agree with you. The relationship between Elric and
the sword is important, and will leave people in
awe who aren't familiar with the stories. It's
such original, mind-blowing fiction.

[Anonymous]

As an actual feature of the book, Stormbringer itself is equally important as Elric and should be treated appropriately, It would need a particularly anguished sry, coupled with pleasured screams and an extensive library of different effects for each and every circumstance, perhaps for every enemy, or race of enemy.
Hmmmm... I agree that Brad Pitt has the charisma to play Elric, and he can act, but I can't help but agree that it would be more like watching BRAD PITT than Elric. I stick by my earlier suggestion of Jonny Depp or, in concurrence with who so ever suggested it, Paul Bettany.
Jonny Depp may be palgued with the same problems as Brad Pitt, so may be I'm a hypocrite, bu there you go.
The Lords of Chaos and Law will be an interesting casting opportunity. I can definitely see some kind of classic English acting talent there. You know, John Hurt, Ian Mckellan type stuff.
Incidentally, if Stormbringer was to be filmed, (and I pray for the day!) I can see Sepiriz as being played by the black dude in Gladiator, who sticks Marius back together. My god, he is cool!!!
Elric: Paul Betteny,
Moonglum: Robert Carlyle,
Jagreen Lern: Alan Rickman,
Sepiriz: Guy from Gladiator,
Elric's wife, the name of whom temporarily escapes me: Catherine Zeta Jones,

[Leaf]

Ok Jerico, the right words are "Perfetto" and "Bellissimo" :D (so we're even now :D )


I agree with Red-Arrow and I wouldn't forget the many non-combat moments were Stormbringer has a say... let's think about soft mocking moanings when Elric is caught by discomfort or the enraged sound when he tries to get rid of it at a particular moment in the saga...

More than a feature Stormbringer could be thought of as a major character. The only one to have the final word in the whole story...

It could even have its place among the end credits with the other actors

--Stormbringer-- Playing itself
(ok, I'm joking LOL)

[Crusader_of_Melnibone]

Greetings dreamers & Mr.Moorcock!

I'm so relieved and happy to see this project going well! I had posted a topic concerning Elric the movie, last March in IMDB! Still no reply by noone, so i'm wondering where all those Moorcock fans are!?! Give it a try and check out my opinion and thoughts (even if it was written 10 months ago)!

http://imdb.com/name/nm0600841/board/nest/888677

Paul Bettany, Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp are great to play as Elric. Check out Rufus Sewell as well, he was the leading actor in Dark City! I believe he has this cold, dark look we're looking for...

I really hope the movie is going to give us that dark, melancholic, tragic feeling, same as we felt reading the books. The direction must be serious as an epic film's should (like Braveheart, darker than LOTR and not anything like A Knight's Tale) and, though i know your background in this matter Mr.M, the music that really fits in this kind of film is classical of course-I recommend Hans Zimmer! And let's all hope it's rated R! :p

Best of luck, courage, strength & patience to all of you who work in this project, Weitz Bros and most of all to you Mr.Moorcock!

...till next time...

Farewell mates...