Hollywood has gone crazy with re-makes, and when it comes to Jane Austen I think we might have hit breaking point with the whole remake concept – Pride and Prejudice has been remade by television, film, Bollywood and with zombies. And that’s just in the last decade. Now Elton John is bringing in the aliens.
By now, you’ve probably heard that “Pride and Prejudice” heroine Elizabeth Bennet will be fighting off a zombie invasion in Seth Grahame-Smith’s upcoming novel, “Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.” Hollywood studios are already reportedly already fighting for the rights to the book, but amazingly, “Zombies” will be beaten by another Jane Austen sci-fi adaptation — “Pride and Predator.”
According to Variety, Elton John’s Rocket Pictures is bringing the project to the big screen, directed by Will Clark, who cowrote the script with Andrew Kemble and John Pape. The story will apparently follow the original novel — until an alien crash lands in the village of Meryton and begins to murder the inhabitants.
Now all those marriage-minded men and women have bigger problems to worry about. “It felt like a fresh and funny way to blow apart the done-to-death Jane Austen genre by literally dropping this alien into the middle of a costume drama, where he stalks and slashes to horrific effect,” producer David Furnish said. Shooting begins in London later this year.
David Furnish is Elton’s long term partner.
I had Jane Austen rammed down my throat in high school and I have a tolerance for it. I got to watch the good television version, later immortalized in the Bridget Jones’ Diary books, where Colin Firth takes his shirt off. I’ll probably skip this newest version, but I can’t say I hate the idea. All those women sitting around mooning about marriage and social standing seems very out of touch with modern times, and I can’t think of a more realistic, modern dilemma than an alien slasher?
This is a risky venture – some polls have put Pride and Prejudice as the second most loved book (behind The Lord of the Rings trilogy) and Jane Austen still lives on in the hearts of many. While I find her a little wordy and dull, I know why people love it. It’s such a nice idea, a more real to life, adult version of the princess story, that a man is going to come and love us and take care of us and that’s it. The whole story. Except he comes with a bit of land and possibly a minor title rather than on a white horse. The only thing you have to worry about is dying of consumption before you’re thirty. Will aliens breathe new life into this concept?
David Furnish and Elton John are shown at the London premiere of Australia on 12/10/08. Credit: PRPhotos
Legend!
I love love love Jane Austen.
I loved the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, haven’t seen the latest movie with Keira Knightly (I hate her) and although the story can be worked and reworked, not so sure I see it with zombies or aliens.
But let’s give it up for Colin Firth as Mr. Darcy and Jeremy Northam as Mr. Knightley (Emma).
bring it!
I love the Jane Austen books, too, and the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice, especially. That being said, can’t these people come up with a more interesting twist if they want to shake up the drawing rooms istead of “alien slashers”?
Why not a time-traveling Colin Farrell or if you want to get kooky, a Jack Sparrow, who instead of slashing, wakes up these women’s libidos to fever pitch?
Much more entertaining to think about than aliens and slashing and blood and gore, in my book.
I just listened to a recent live version of Rocket Man the other day. Man … does he ever sound old.
Can’t even hit the high notes any more.
i love jane austen! i have all the books, (including some on audiobook), watch the movies and even went on a jane austen walking tour in bath. yeah i am a total nerd.
Serious creativity deficit in our “creative community” when they constantly (and badly) remake oldies but goodies.
I absolutely ADORE the movie with Kiera Knightly. Seriously, if you haven’t seen it, you should. The cinematogrphy is gorgeous and all the actors are great.
Actually, that’s exactly the opposite of why (I believe) most intelligent people adore Austen, specifically P&P. Because Elizabeth has intelligence, and is NOT marriage minded, until someone actually proves himself worthwhile to her. Not just for the sake of being taken care of. In fact my favorite quote of Elizabeth’s defines her outlook pretty clearly: “There are few people whom I really love, and still fewer of whom I think well. The more I see of the world, the more am I dissatisfied with it; and every day confirms my belief of the inconsistency of all human characters, and of the little dependence that can be placed on the appearance of either merit or sense.”
Not to get all “wordy and dull” on you.
The song has grown me a bit as well. It gets really good for about the last minute and a half. It also
seems pointless to have Neil Tennant in here, he says like one line.
Compared to the last two Killers singles, it’s definitely a bit of a let down. But cheers to them for
trying something different.
This article was quite interesting, especially since I was searching for thoughts on this subject last week.