It’s time again for potentially prestigious projects based on books. Here are some of the lesser-known literary works coming to your multiplex before year’s end. (Release dates subject to change.)
Source: The Big Year, Mark Obmascik
Book Grade: B
Reason for Adaptation Optimism: Strangely intriguing combination of Steve Martin, Owen Wilson and Jack Black as the three protagonists.
Reason for Adaptation Concern: Director David Frankel (Marley & Me, The Devil Wears Prada) suggests a tone more conventionally quirky than truly eccentric.
Film Scheduled Release Date: Oct. 14
The Movie Pitch: “The Cannonball Run meets Winged Migration.”
Source: The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick (for the film Hugo)
Book Grade: A-
Reason for Adaptation Optimism: Fascinating prospect of first family film from director Martin Scorsese.
Reason for Adaptation Concern: Anyone else do a spit-take when they saw “family film from director Martin Scorsese”?
Film Scheduled Release Date: Nov. 23
The Movie Pitch: “Cinema Paradiso meets I, Robot.”
Source: The Descendants, Kaui Hart Hemmings
Book Grade: B
Reason for Adaptation Optimism: Writer/director Alexander Payne’s (Election, Sideways) great track record with adapting novels.
Reason for Adaptation Concern: Trailer inspires concern that it may head in exactly that “learning what really matters” direction.
Film Scheduled Release Date: Dec. 16
The Movie Pitch: “The Other Man meets Up in the Air.”
Source: We Bought a Zoo, Benjamin Mee
Book Grade: B
Reason for Adaptation Optimism: Great cast including Matt Damon, Scarlet Johansson and Elle Fanning may bypass overt sentimentality.
Reason for Adaptation Concern: The last time writer/director Cameron Crowe worked from existing material, the result was Vanilla Sky.
Film Scheduled Release Date: Dec. 23
The Movie Pitch: “All Creatures Great and Small meets Love Story.”
Source: War Horse, Michael Morpurgo
Book Grade: B
Reason for Adaptation Optimism: Director Steven Spielberg knows a thing or two about both war stories and boy-and-his-(fill in the blank) stories.
Reason for Adaptation Concern: Seriously, it’s told by a horse.
Film Scheduled Release Date: Dec. 28
The Movie Pitch: “The Black Stallion meets Saving Private Ryan.”