Terry Pratchett News Update for August 14, 2007

Colin Smythe, Terry Pratchett’s agent, posted more casting information for the Color of Magic TV adaptation this August on his site. Several actors are returning from Hogfather, including Nigel Planer (previously Mr. Sideney) as the Arch-Astronomer, Marnix Van Den Broeke again as Death (the guy in the costume), Nicholas Tennant (previously Nobby Nobbs) as the pre-orangutan Librarian, and of course Terry Pratchett, again in a cameo. New cast members include David Bradley (Argus Filch in the Harry Potter movies) as Cohen, Laura Haddock as Bethan, and Liz May Brice as Herrena.

Terry Pratchett News Update for August 11, 2007

Four major characters in the forthcoming Color of Magic and Light Fantastic TV adaptations have been cast, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Sean Astin, who played Sam Gamgee in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, is cast for Twoflower, confirming earlier speculation that David Jason (Rincewind) would co-star with an American actor. Says Astin in the article:

"I'm honored to be given the chance to make the part of Twoflower my own, starring in a fantasy tale that has captured the imagination of millions of people around the world."

Also cast is Tim Curry as Ymper Trymon, and Christopher Lee reprises his 1997 role as the voice of Death.

Things look hopeful for further adaptations, as Sky director of programs Richard Woolfe called Hogfather an “unparalleled success in every way we could have imagined” and the cast for The Color of Magic “unbelievable”—though expectations for the adaptations seem high.

The Color of Magic team, with Vadim Jean directing and RHI Entertainment, the Mob Film Co. and Sky One all on board, has stayed pretty constant from Hogfather, though David Jason is now also an executive producer.

Exciting news for American fans: Hogfather may make its U.S. debut as part of RHI Movie Weekend on Ion Television.

Terry Pratchett News Update for May 24, 2007

A chat transcript with Terry Pratchett on the Douglas Adams Continuum is online now (scroll down to the first post), where Pratchett (amidst complaints about the font) answers questions about everything – from the movies to the books to his meeting with Douglas Adams. The concise statements include:

I met DNA [note: DNA is Douglas Adams] only once, at a crowded party, where it as almost impossible to be heard, and I think we were almost immediately dragged in opposite directions by people who wanted us to meet interesting people. I have no idea if we would have got on. I was in a hotel in Chicago when I read that he had died, and I sang the Betelgeusian Death Anthem, all by myself. It was a shame.

I don't have a secret desire to write somthing else--if I did, I'd do it. There eill [sic] be a Y/A book that's non-DW next year, though. One book a year is not punishing, but life seems to fill up with other things, [sic]

To judge by the biographies [Douglas Adams] thought writing got in the way of having a good time. For me, it’s the other way round. I get a kick out of it, is the simple answer. When a book is going well, I’m on a high.

Among the interesting bits of news we get what seems to be a confirmation that The Colour of Magic and The Light Fantastic are being adapted together by Sky after the tremendous success of Hogfather. Additionally, an illustrated Wee Free Men (of the YA Tiffany Aching series) is in the works, possibly in the style of The Last Hero.

Terry Pratchett News Update for May 23, 2007

At the BAFTA Television awards three days ago, the Hogfather team was honored with a second prestigious award. Beating out Dispatches – War Torn: Stories of Separation, Meltdown and the Big Climate Change Experiment, and The Secret Policeman’s Ball, the Terry Pratchett adaptation won the Best Interactivity BAFTA award. Aidan Conway, Giles Pooley, Rod Brown, and Ian Sharples were recognized especially. Congrats to them and the entire Hogfather team!

A Costa Book Awards 2006 survey named Terry Pratchett UK’s seventh favorite “literary guilty pleasure,” behind Stephen King (first), J. K. Rowling (second), John Grisham and Dan Brown (tied for third), and Danielle Steel and Catherine Cookson (tied for fourth). To quote this article on books.guardian.co.uk:
“It is commonly acknowledged that many of us want to be seen to be reading a book in public that makes us look good," commented Simon Trewin, a contributing author to The Encyclopaedia of Guilty Pleasures - 1001 Things You Hate to Love, "but as this survey demonstrates, most of us have an author we regularly turn to for an easy and enjoyable read."
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The VES (Visual Effects Society) has announced the nominations for its 5th Annual VES Awards, and episode 1 of Hogfather is nominated for “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Broadcast Miniseries, Movie or Special.”