Wheel of Time animated movies spin-off (Red Eagle & WoT rights)

[Yamezt]

This appeared in one of my feeds today -  it seems like there is a WoT time spinoff animation in the works https://winteriscoming.net/2023/10/19/dc-alum-jay-oliva-direct-animated-the-wheel-of-time-movie-the-white-tower/

 

That puzzled me as it didn't appear to be linked with Amazon.

 

A little internet sleuthing led me to discover that Red Eagle sold the rights to the book series storyline to Amazon but apparently "still have the rights to untold stories in the Wheel of time Universe and timeline". The Cursed Wheel Of Time Movie You Were Never Supposed To See (screenrant.com)

 

Apparently, there were even older news about a 3 part animated Movie about the Age of Legends - but looking at the writers names, it may be that the White Tower is movie 1 of the Age of Legends (which the WT doesn't exist in the AoL, but appeared after the breaking).

 

Not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand I have always felt WoT would have been better told in animation if going on screen. But on the other, I am pretty sure RJ did not want spin offs (unless I misremembered). But then why did he sell the rights in that manner to Red Eagle 2004 when he was live? I guess he could have changed his opinion after the sale of the rights.

 

Edited October 19, 2023 by Yamezt

[Rhaze]

 I was always concerned about how it could be adapted to tv and while animation is a way, it was never the way I preferred. The one thing I can definitely give the amazon show credit for, they proved it can be done on tv.

[Scarloc99]

12 hours ago, Yamezt said:

This appeared in one of my feeds today -  it seems like there is a WoT time spinoff animation in the works https://winteriscoming.net/2023/10/19/dc-alum-jay-oliva-direct-animated-the-wheel-of-time-movie-the-white-tower/

 

That puzzled me as it didn't appear to be linked with Amazon.

 

A little internet sleuthing led me to discover that Red Eagle sold the rights to the book series storyline to Amazon but apparently "still have the rights to untold stories in the Wheel of time Universe and timeline". The Cursed Wheel Of Time Movie You Were Never Supposed To See (screenrant.com)

 

Apparently, there were even older news about a 3 part animated Movie about the Age of Legends - but looking at the writers names, it may be that the White Tower is movie 1 of the Age of Legends (which the WT doesn't exist in the AoL, but appeared after the breaking).

 

Not sure how I feel about this. On the one hand I have always felt WoT would have been better told in animation if going on screen. But on the other, I am pretty sure RJ did not want spin offs (unless I misremembered). But then why did he sell the rights in that manner to Red Eagle 2004 when he was live? I guess he could have changed his opinion after the sale of the rights.

 

RJ talked about 2 prequels and a follow on trilogy he had planned (what we know of RJ that trilogy could have been many many many books longer lol) but I think he also made it clear at the end that he did not want others writing stories in his world other then finishing off the series. 

[books of Robert Jordan]

Given the respect and artistry accorded "The Lord of the Rings" movies by director Peter Jackson, does Jordan feel that a film version of "The Wheel of Time" is now more feasible?

Robert Jordan: I do not know whether it could be done in that way. I have just had an option offered from a production company called Manetheren Films, which was spawned for the purpose of producing the books as a miniseries or a series of miniseries on some place like HBO or the SciFi Channel. We'll see how it goes. It won't be the first time that someone has bought an option. NBC bought an option, then all the people involved in buying it went elsewhere. But the check cleared.

 

What is your favorite Lord of the Rings movie?

Robert Jordan: (Laughs.) If I have to pick a favorite, I will pick The Return of the King. We get the climax, the triumph of good and all of that.

 

Question: By far the most common question asked: What are your feelings on a movie version of your books? You've said that, to you, only the books really matter. Do you feel that a movie would do them justice though? Or do you think it might be too complex for the screen and even hurt their reputation? What about making a movie that focuses on a different time from the story you've told?

Robert Jordan: My feelings about the possibility of a movie are ambivalent. It would be very nice if a movie or movies, or a series on HBO or whatever were made, but that really would be something extra. I write books. If a movie is made, good. If not, I won't cry.
I don't think that a bad movie would do the books any damage, but with any movie, the writer of the book has to give up control to someone else and trust that other person to interpret the writer's vision. (God, that sounds pompous!) I used to think that it might be impossible for a movie to really encompass any of the books, but since seeing The Lord of the Rings, I've changed my mind. In any case, Harriet says (and Plato agrees with her) that the only thing to do when you sell a book to Hollywood is to take the money, walk away very fast before they can take it back, and never, ever go to see the movie. Of course, any movie depends on someone making an offer for an option and then following through to exercise the option, and so far, that hasn't happened. The option, bit did, true, but not the rest. We are now waiting, as they say. But not very anxiously.

 

Question: Do you ever use ideas that fans send in to you in regards to the WOT storyline? Even little ones?
Robert Jordan: No. Not even the little ones. It's my story, guys. If you have ideas, write your own stories.

 

Which famous SFF figure (writer or character) would you most like to bring to a Christmas party? And which of your own creations would you invite to pull a cracker or two?

Robert Jordan: Robert Heinlein and J.R.R. Tolkien. I'd go for Mark Twain and Jane Austen, but you did say SFF. And writers are, one hopes, more fascinating than any of their characters because they contain all of their characters, who might be let out if the wine flows freely. Heinlein and Tolkien were two very interesting and very different men, with a few similarities I believe, and it is the precise mesh of differences and similarities that make for brilliant dinner table conversation.

If I could have a third, I'd make it John M. Ford. I know exactly what sort of dinner companion Mike is, and his presence at a table with Heinlein and Tolkien would guarantee an evening of marvellous conversation. Between the three of them, they'd make sure that everybody sparkled, if only by being pulled along in their slipstream.

 

And what SFF movie would you all collapse in front of after the feast?

Robert Jordan: Not one, I fear. The Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers, back to back, in the expanded versions. Pull an all-nighter over brandy and cigars. Mr Heinlein would be fascinated by the special effects and how they were done, as well as by the story, of course. Mr Tolkien could grumble about what the movies had done to his books.
I've never known a writer who didn't enjoy grumbling, at least in private, about what the movies had done to his book. And Mike and I could just enjoy. Maybe we'd toss in Pirates of the Caribbean and make it a true all-nighter. I went to a charity Halloween ball as Captain Black Jack Sparrow (hair beads by Elise Mattheson), and I am told the resemblance between me and Johnny Depp was amazing. Especially around the eyes. The eyes took two women half an hour to get done!

Edited October 20, 2023 by books of Robert Jordan

[Mirefox]

RJ: “It’s my story, guys.  If you have ideas, write your own stories.”

 

Rafe: OK, Boomer

[Mirefox]

Regarding spinoffs, Rings of Power has completely destroyed my interest in the idea of third-party written side stories loosely based on established lore.

[Scarloc99]

26 minutes ago, Mirefox said:

RJ: “It’s my story, guys.  If you have ideas, write your own stories.”

 

Rafe: OK, Boomer

Is the quote you took, when he made it clear handing his book to a script wroter wold mean wholescale changes and differences being made because, as he said, he wrote a book not a TV show or movie. 

[RichardParker]

On 10/20/2023 at 6:20 PM, books of Robert Jordan said:

Given the respect and artistry accorded "The Lord of the Rings" movies by director Peter Jackson, does Jordan feel that a film version of "The Wheel of Time" is now more feasible?

Robert Jordan: I do not know whether it could be done in that way. I have just had an option offered from a production company called Manetheren Films, which was spawned for the purpose of producing the books as a miniseries or a series of miniseries on some place like HBO or the SciFi Channel. We'll see how it goes. It won't be the first time that someone has bought an option. NBC bought an option, then all the people involved in buying it went elsewhere. But the check cleared.

 

What is your favorite Lord of the Rings movie?

Robert Jordan: (Laughs.) If I have to pick a favorite, I will pick The Return of the King. We get the climax, the triumph of good and all of that.

 

Question: By far the most common question asked: What are your feelings on a movie version of your books? You've said that, to you, only the books really matter. Do you feel that a movie would do them justice though? Or do you think it might be too complex for the screen and even hurt their reputation? What about making a movie that focuses on a different time from the story you've told?

Robert Jordan: My feelings about the possibility of a movie are ambivalent. It would be very nice if a movie or movies, or a series on HBO or whatever were made, but that really would be something extra. I write books. If a movie is made, good. If not, I won't cry.
I don't think that a bad movie would do the books any damage, but with any movie, the writer of the book has to give up control to someone else and trust that other person to interpret the writer's vision. (God, that sounds pompous!) I used to think that it might be impossible for a movie to really encompass any of the books, but since seeing The Lord of the Rings, I've changed my mind. In any case, Harriet says (and Plato agrees with her) that the only thing to do when you sell a book to Hollywood is to take the money, walk away very fast before they can take it back, and never, ever go to see the movie. Of course, any movie depends on someone making an offer for an option and then following through to exercise the option, and so far, that hasn't happened. The option, bit did, true, but not the rest. We are now waiting, as they say. But not very anxiously.

 

Question: Do you ever use ideas that fans send in to you in regards to the WOT storyline? Even little ones?
Robert Jordan: No. Not even the little ones. It's my story, guys. If you have ideas, write your own stories.

 

Which famous SFF figure (writer or character) would you most like to bring to a Christmas party? And which of your own creations would you invite to pull a cracker or two?

Robert Jordan: Robert Heinlein and J.R.R. Tolkien. I'd go for Mark Twain and Jane Austen, but you did say SFF. And writers are, one hopes, more fascinating than any of their characters because they contain all of their characters, who might be let out if the wine flows freely. Heinlein and Tolkien were two very interesting and very different men, with a few similarities I believe, and it is the precise mesh of differences and similarities that make for brilliant dinner table conversation.

If I could have a third, I'd make it John M. Ford. I know exactly what sort of dinner companion Mike is, and his presence at a table with Heinlein and Tolkien would guarantee an evening of marvellous conversation. Between the three of them, they'd make sure that everybody sparkled, if only by being pulled along in their slipstream.

 

And what SFF movie would you all collapse in front of after the feast?

Robert Jordan: Not one, I fear. The Fellowship of the Ring and the Two Towers, back to back, in the expanded versions. Pull an all-nighter over brandy and cigars. Mr Heinlein would be fascinated by the special effects and how they were done, as well as by the story, of course. Mr Tolkien could grumble about what the movies had done to his books.
I've never known a writer who didn't enjoy grumbling, at least in private, about what the movies had done to his book. And Mike and I could just enjoy. Maybe we'd toss in Pirates of the Caribbean and make it a true all-nighter. I went to a charity Halloween ball as Captain Black Jack Sparrow (hair beads by Elise Mattheson), and I am told the resemblance between me and Johnny Depp was amazing. Especially around the eyes. The eyes took two women half an hour to get done!

Thanks, I didn't know it before.

Edited February 9 by RichardParker

[Storeebooq]

Yas! Bringit! I am a glutton for all content WoT related!

 

Maybe maybe one day we'll get the post-final battle spin off and see Mat and Tuon's work in the Seanchan lands. Maybe =] 

 

 

[Maximillion]

On 10/20/2023 at 12:49 AM, Rhaze said:

 I was always concerned about how it could be adapted to tv and while animation is a way, it was never the way I preferred. The one thing I can definitely give the amazon show credit for, they proved it can be done on tv.

 

I would love the book series to be brough to life properly in animation - ironically in the style Amazon actually used for the add on information to the series.

Would MUCH prefer that to the show we got.

[king of nowhere]

2 hours ago, Maximillion said:

 

I would love the book series to be brough to life properly in animation - ironically in the style Amazon actually used for the add on information to the series.

Would MUCH prefer that to the show we got.

have you seen that now a new AI can build a short video from a prompt?

have faith, in 20-30 years probably you can copy-paste the books as prompt and the AI will build the adaptation. without any issue on budget, meddling executives, covid pauses, or any of that stuff

Edited March 2 by king of nowhere

[Maximillion]

On 3/2/2024 at 9:50 PM, king of nowhere said:

have you seen that now a new AI can build a short video from a prompt?

have faith, in 20-30 years probably you can copy-paste the books as prompt and the AI will build the adaptation. without any issue on budget, meddling executives, covid pauses, or any of that stuff

 

Yes, I did see that AI was now creating video from text prompts.  At the pace the tech is accelerating it's exciting to think that idiots like the WoT showrunner and Amazon will no longer be required to bring WoT and other great stories to life on screen.

Edited yesterday at 08:24 AM by Maximillion

[king of nowhere]

12 hours ago, Maximillion said:

 

Yes, I did see that AI was now creating video from text prompts.  At the pace the tech is accelerating it's exciting to think that idiots like the WoT showrunner and Amazon will no longer be required to bring WoT and other great stories to life on screen.

that said, the AI will follow instructions. with how the books are, probably most of that AI adaptation would be characters standing still with a voiceover for internal monologue. not sure it would be better than the rafe version.

however, take cuts from both versions and you may get your dream adaptation after all