With The Hunger Games set to pick up where the Twilight franchise leaves off next year, studios are constantly mining books for the next big moneymaker. Warner Bros. had put its stock in The Scorpio Races, a young adult fantasy novel by author Maggie Stiefvater. The recently-released book follows a young woman who is the first female to enter her island’s annual horse race. In this case, the horses are flesh eating creatures from Celtic lore. Romantic.
Stiefvater also authored the best-selling, young adult Shiver trilogy about werewolves and first loves. The Scorpio Races will be produced through KatzSmith Productions, by David Katzenberg and Seth Grahame-Smith. Hit the jump for more on The Scorpio Races.
Source of the acquisition comes to Heat Vision, but it’s not the only franchise-in-the-making out there. A release date was recently reported for the film adaptation of Ender’s Game, which could easily spawn a franchise if done properly. (Although, there are no flesh-eating horses…) Then, of course, there’s The Mortal Instruments, whose star Jamie Campbell (The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn-Part 1) might test better with young female audiences. We’ll have to see how it all shakes down and if The Scorpio Races is left standing.
Here’s the synopsis for The Scorpio Races:
Some race to win. Others race to survive.
It happens at the start of every November: the Scorpio Races. Riders attempt to keep hold of their water horses long enough to make it to the finish line.
Some riders live.
Others die.
At age nineteen, Sean Kendrick is the returning champion. He is a young man of few words, and if he has any fears, he keeps them buried deep, where no one else can see them.
Puck Connolly is different. She never meant to ride in the Scorpio Races. But fate hasn’t given her much of a choice. So she enters the competition – the first girl ever to do so. She is in no way prepared for what is going to happen. [Amazon]
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This is the first time I’ve heard of this book, so no comments there. I just feel, from the synopsis, that this might be WB’s attempt to try to compete with Liongate’s The Hunger Games using a similar formula (“unlikely but empowered female unwillingly participates in raised-stakes competition and probably finds true love along the way in a competitor”). The whole thing just feels artificial and will probably flop, just like all those “boy discovers magical abilities” movies that tried to compete against Harry Potter a few years ago.
Are you kidding me?! The Scorpio Races was possibly the most amazing, intense, and beautifully written book created by mankind (Go M. Stiefvater!). The movie, if Warner Bros. carries it out correctly, will be fantastic. And, besides, if it ever comes out it will be in at least 4 years, and by then the Hunger Games rage will have died down some.
I recently read Maggie Stiefvater’s The Scorpio Races. (What am I saying? It recently came out.) It’s an incredible book that has gone to my favorites shelf. As O. R. points out, it can be stuck in a general plot category, but Maggie’s delivery – and the flesh-eating horses – make it a classic.
But I’m not sure what I’d think of a movie adaption. The Scorpio Races is the only book I’ve read that I could describe as “slow and gripping.” The pace is fairly slow and steady, but each scene manages to have you by the throat. I have no idea how she did that, but it’s no small part of what makes me love The Scorpio Races. I don’t see how a movie could capture the same feeling.
On one hand a movie adaption would look really, really cool: who doesn’t want to see the Capall Uisce (uh, that’s what those flesh-eating horses are called) brought to life snarling at you? On the other hand, the movie-makers would try to turn the story into a more movie-friendly format. That would lose a lot of the feel of The Sorpio Races and would probably involve things like pulling the barely-there romantic subplot between Sean and Puck into a more prominent place.
I’ll cheer if a director can break away from the book enough to make a good movie using The Scorpio Race’s concept, but with its own feel. Sometimes movie adaptions try too hard to stick to the book when film just can’t make it.
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i think that the scorpio races shouldnt just go towards girls i think that it should play as it is. its already a great book no need to push it!!!!!!!!
Are you kidding me?! The Scorpio Races was possibly the most amazing, intense, and beautifully written book created by mankind (Go M. Stiefvater!). The movie, if Warner Bros. carries it out correctly, will be fantastic. And, besides, if it ever comes out it will be in at least 4 years, and by then the Hunger Games rage will have died down a lot.
Wait, ignore these. They were accidents.
Are you kidding me?! The Scorpio Races was possibly the most amazing, intense, and beautifully written book created by mankind (Go M. Stiefvater!). The movie, if Warner Bros. carries it out correctly, will be fantastic. And, besides, if it ever comes out it will be in at least 4 years, and by then the Hunger Games rage will have died down a bit.
I love this book so much <333
I wish there could be international casting…but, unfortunately, that's only my dream xD
I love this book so much <333
I wish there could be international casting…but, unfortunately, that\’s only a dream ;/