16 books from the main ‘Ranger’s Apprentice’ series, plus prequel novels and short stories, the fantasy world author John Flanagan has created is truly vast. In Germany the saga is known as “The Chronicles of Araluen”. And loud Fans can now look forward to a film adaptation.
The Skydance studio has secured the rights to the young adult saga, which has sold more than five million books in the US, and has already brought a creative head on board for the project: Ted Melfi (“Hidden Figures”) is used for “Ranger’s apprentice“Write the script, direct the fantasy adventure and also produce it.
“Ranger’s Apprentice”: The Next Big Movie Franchise?
According to the information from Melfi will receive a high seven-figure sum if the project is implemented. It’s his job, to adapt the first two parts of the series for the screen: The Ruins Of Gorlan and The Burning Bridge. It is not clear from the report whether Melfi should make one or two films from this. However, the direction of travel is very clear:
The intention is for Melfi to build the first adaptation which, if successful, could be followed by an entire franchise, with further parts, spin-offs, etc. And there is plenty to tell: “Ranger’s Apprentice” is about an orphan boy Will who joins a mysterious group of rangers and fights for good in the kingdom of Araluen.
First he apprentices with ranger Walt, and in later parts he successfully completes his training and goes on adventures of his own. His faithful friends are always by his side: Horace, Cassandra and his pony Reisser.
‘Harry Potter’ meets ‘Robin Hood’
When describing the project, draws parallels with ‘Harry Potter’ and ‘Percy Jackson’ – after all, it is also about a young person who is given a special task in a world full of secrets, which he undertakes together with friends and from which he grows. But we think a comparison to a young Robin Hood or medieval fantasy in general would be more appropriate. How Melfi will ultimately implement the story tonally remains to be seen.
About his new project, the director said: “’The Rangers Apprentice’ and its focus on a group of orphans trying to find their purpose in this world is timeless, moving and made for the cinema. It’s exciting to have the opportunity [die Geschichte] for the big screen.”
A few years ago, a film adaptation of the ‘Ranger’s Apprentice’ saga was already in the works, and at the time Paul Haggis was among those in discussion to direct. As is known, nothing came of the previous attempts – now we have to wait and see whether Skydance succeeds in carrying it out. The studio is very serious about a John Flanagan universe: In addition to the rights to ‘Ranger’s Apprentice’, an option has already been secured for the rights to Flanagan’s second major saga: ‘The Brotherband Chronicles’.