Variety reports that The Weinstein Company has drafted mystery novelists Terrill Lee Lankford and Michael Connelly to script the feature film version of the TV series THE EQUALIZER, to be directed by Paul McGuigan.
Connelly acknowledged in a statement that "times have certainly changed
since the days of the television show" but said he and his co-scribe
"plan to build a character that is of these times but to also keep the
heart and soul of the show intact."
It’s highly unusual for studios to turn to novelists to adapt anything, especially something as tricky as turning a TV series into a feature film…so this is a big deal. Lee and Michael must have made a hell of a pitch and knowing them as I do, you can bet it’s going to be a great script.
Meanwhile, ABC has greenlit production on MARLOWE, a pilot that’s a "contemporary update" of Raymond Chandler’s classic LA private eye. Greg Pruss and Carol
Wolper are writing and producing (Anyone remember the last "update" of Marlowe starring Robert Mitchum…and set in London!?)
Yes, I remember. It was Mitchum’s second appearance in the role. For some weird reason they remade The Big Sleep — the story never made sense at all, not even in print, so you can’t blame Hollywood for an incomprehensible story. I don’t recall why it was shot in London,but there must have been some financial reason.
The Weinstein’s also hired Lee Child to write a script for them, so they obviously appreciate novelistic talent.
David Simon gets a lot of credit for this… he has hired Lehane, Pelecanos and other novelists to write THE WIRE, which the industry largely (and rightly) considers to be the best writing being done in television.
What’s F’up about Hollywood is they now think novelists can craft feature scripts, but they don’t think television writers can do it.
It seems like Marlowe is always being updated. There was also the Altman film “The Long Goodbye” with Elliot Gould for the early 70s, and James Garner as “Marlowe” for the late 60s.
For me, both of them have their own kind of nostalgic time period appeal.
I’ll at least check out this new TV version, for curiousity’s sake.
If they get Stuart Copeland to do the music, I’ll help pay to get this made.