The Merlin Saga’s author T.A. Barron couldn’t be more excited that Lord of the Rings co-writer Philippa Boyens has joined the movie adaptation.
As we learned last week, Boyens has joined Disney’s adaptation of Barron’s books about Merlin as he discovers who he is and what he’s capable of at an early age. She will be writing the screenplay.
Speaking with us about the reveal, Barron says, “Awesome news that Philippa has joined the Merlin movie project! I’m thrilled. No one in the world is better at creating powerful epic fantasy films. Philippa brings great experience, wisdom, artistry, authenticity… and magic.”
It’s true that this couldn’t be better news for the adaptation. While Lord of the Rings and Barron’s Merlin Saga are two completely different stories, they do have several key similarities, including the fact they are both high fantasy projects featuring epic journeys and incredible magic.
The Merlin Saga movie has been a long time in the making, and fans who have been aware of the project have followed news for years, waiting for steam to pick up. Fortunately, it looks like that’s exactly what’s happening now with the addition of Boyens. Once the script is written, it’s only a matter of time before casting gets underway.
As we stated in our previous article, Boyens has few credits to her name, but that doesn’t make them any less significant. In fact, her dedication to the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies means she’s aware of what it’s like to adapt high fantasy books into large franchises.
And lest we forget, Boyens shares an Oscar win for Return of the King.
As fans of Barron’s books, we can only hope this becomes a long-lasting franchise of its own. A lot is riding on Boyens’ interpretation of Barron’s books, but if the first movie lands amidst acclaim, there’s no reason we won’t be looking at a big future for Disney’s adaptation.