Long last the sun is blossoming over the UK and It’s great to finally get some heat, in a country, where the majority of time it’s cold. So whilst the weather gets hotter I hope people and those who are vulnerable are taking the necessary precautions to stay safe particularly from the UK heatwave.
Now the sequel to my novel, The Tribulations of Kharman, is still in the editing pose. Am considering a 2023 release and am aware many haven’t even finished reading my first novel, which came out last year.
I’ve had discussions with others on my book’s conversion into film in the past and this has been in my head for quite a while on actors I personally think, would be a good fit. I understand that not all books adapted to screen fair well. Often time there are a lot of hardcore fans of these books who become dismayed once their favourite novels are screened and often their complaints are justified. An example is the 2013 movie World War Z written by Max Brooks and staring Brad Pitt. The book of the same name was originally written like a journal and set in the aftermath of a zombie outbreak. Instead the film was more action based, set at the time of the outbreak, and concentrated on the protagonist going from country to country finding the cause. Overall most of the movie, for me, was disappointing. I expected it to be an explicit zombie flick not some watered down version. I was even bothered by the age rating, and already deduced that the movie would be softcore compared to the likes of, The Last Train to Busan and The Walking Dead. The biggest complaint was that it didn’t follow the book of the same name and I heard arguments as to why name it after the book. Other examples are V for Vendetta, a dystopic graphic novel, whose writer, Alan Moore, was also unhappy by the big screen adaptation.
While these criticisms are valid I can also see points as to why the film industry would make changes to novels that adapt to screen. Certain depictions in books or other books in whole are just not filmable and I can accept that. Parts in my book may not be filmable. Also you want to appeal to new/current audiences, whom can’t or may not read, and what’s written may not work quite well once portrayed onto screen, therefore changes need to be made and these changes can be quite drastic. Even an alteration in the novel’s name to the screen is permitted just as long as credit or a reference to the novel’s actual name is made. Another positive is a filmed version of written media often brings awareness to the novel or even the graphic novel, increasing sales and giving the author exposure. This can be a good thing regardless of whether the movie is decent or trash.
The type of adaptation, that I think, would be appropriate, to my novel is either a mini-series or a TV movie or even a regular series, on any of the current streaming services such as Netflix or Amazon Prime. I think a big screen movie just will not work, and this is all entirely my own opinion, but can change depending on how much success I can garner from the series. I’m trying to be realistic and not wanting to blow my own trumpet. The Tribulations of Kharman could be live action but may work better as a computer generated animated movie, even with today’s technology. I’ve seen Avatar. I’ve seen Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets. I’ve seen Love, Death & Robots, so I know what’s possible. The actors/actresses, who don’t need to look like the characters, would be ideal for the voiceovers. Am satisfied I have a book but wanting to extend it to film, and one aimed at an adult audience, is another major step.
Kharman Black
So let’s now imagine my book is given the green light to be turned into a computer animated movie? I’ve a list, so more than one actor can play any of my characters, as realistically the actors and actresses, you pitch a proposal to, may not be interested or unavailable. So whom would I have play Kharman? To be frank finding someone to play a complicated protagonist such as Kharman would be difficult. More harder than the other characters. The best I can come up with is Adrian Lester, whom has good charisma or David Ajala, or Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who’d have to drop his American accent for an English one. In the book Kharman was born in England and therefore it’d make sense for him to have an English accent.
Evree Nuarn
My mind is set on Lupita Nyong’o. She was Maz Kanata in Star Wars: the Force Awakens, which did little justice for her. She has a beautiful feminine voice and can pull off convincing accents. I like her natural voice, also Evree having a type of posh British or East African accent would be okay by me.
Drakral
Josh Brolin would be my first choice as the Takion. Then Laurence Fishburne. Both actors aren’t strangers to sci-fi and portray formidable domineering personas.
Sester Swain
Zoe Saldana would be okay to play her.
Leran Veron
That could be either Chiwetel Ejiofor or Jude Law as the voice overs.
Maykay Agins
Letitia Wright would be suitable.
Vatrix
None other then Hugo Weaving. I can see him pulling off that character well.
Guiltok Turen
Sharlto Copley would act as this alien character.
Unise
Naomie Harris would be my first choice. Failing that I’d perhaps settle for Jodie Turner-Smith in the role.
Malmar
Another character I’d struggle to find an actress to play. I can only think of Octavia Spencer having only viewed one movie where, to me, she stood out.
Who Would Direct?
I’m awed by Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, written by Frank Herbert, so he’d be ideal to direct it and I’d rather my book be on a par and a pace with a classic like Dune rather than the more explosive, space-battle frenzy of Star Wars. I however do like some of the Star Wars movies and spin-offs currently streaming on Disney+.