Is anyone still hopeing the city of ashes gets made? hope - The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) Discussion

[–] charlesfernandez515 11 years ago

Lex I'll stand with you as someone who wants a sequel. I enjoyed the movie. It had wayyyyyy better acting then Twilight and other then The Hunger Games it was actually one of the better YA adaptaions in awhile. Could it have been better?Yeah but it's not as terrible as some are making it out to be.

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[–] iscaria 11 years ago

Saying that COB doesn't seem so terrible compared to other recent YA adaptions (excluding The Hunger Games) isn't much of a compliment. Once you exclude The Hunger Games, what exactly are are you left with? The Twilight Saga? Beautiful Creatures? The Host? Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters? I Am Number Four? They're all pretty weak movies. Being the best of a bad bunch doesn't mean COB deserves a sequel.

What I find interesting is that between 2001 and now, there have only been TWO popular and well-reviewed movie franchises adapted from YA books: Harry Potter and The Hunger Games. Everything else has either been trashed by critics or failed to connect with a wide audience (or both! Like COB.). And yet they have all had sequels planned (or made!). I wish movie studios would stop assuming all movies need sequels and see if that means they invest a bit more effort into making decent stand-alone movies instead of "setting things up for later."

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[–] BigBadDolemite 11 years ago

I wish movie studios would stop assuming all movies need sequels and see if that means they invest a bit more effort into making decent stand-alone movies instead of "setting things up for later."

That makes no sense financially. If your trying to adapt a book series why would you want to only make one movie? City of Bones could have been a hit because they had some nice fight scenes and the lore is very interesting. This franchise just needs a better screenwriter and keep the teen romance to a minimum. Honestly I think these YA book series work better as TV shows. So much stuff was not explained in this movie and had they had the extra time to flesh out the lore than I think people would understand it better. I've never read the books so I don't care if they make another movie or not, but if they do I'm going to watch it because this franchise has potential.

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[–] iscaria 11 years ago

Well, it makes even less sense financially to waste money planning several movie sequels before the first film (which later bombs) has even been released!

What I was trying to say is that I think the mindset needs to change. When filmmakers assume that the movie will of course be successful enough to warrant a sequel it makes them lazy. It means they don't properly examine what's going into the movie and what's getting cut out of it. For example, most everyone agrees the plot of COB was incredibly confusing (if you hadn't read the book). A lot of those complications came from trying to set up so many concepts and characters that would become important later on. What if the makers of COB had decided that, although it would be incredibly nice to build a franchise and adapt all the TMI books, they really had to forget about all that for the moment and focus on making COB a really strong stand-alone movie? With this sort of mindset it would have been much easier to admit that a lot of those complicated plot elements and minor characters were muddling up the movie and it would be wiser to cut them out entirely and introduce them only if the sequels did get made.

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[–] BigBadDolemite 11 years ago

Well, it makes even less sense financially to waste money planning several movie sequels before the first film (which later bombs) has even been released!

I'm not aware that they already had planned the sequels. I just not familiar with any of this franchise. If they have planned them though, I don't see what the harm in that is. Like I said before it makes sense if your going to adapt the whole book series, then why not include the sequels in your plan. Its not like they've wasted money on the sequels yet, have they?

What if the makers of COB had decided that, although it would be incredibly nice to build a franchise and adapt all the TMI books, they really had to forget about all that for the moment and focus on making COB a really strong stand-alone movie?

Thats on the people that made the film. When you adapt a book series you must have some type a plan for sequels. It just wouldn't make sense to not do it. As far as making standalone movies, everyone should try to make a movie that stands alone good all on its own. Seems like the problems came from adapting the book to the screen which is an art all by itself. I don't know how many books there are, but filmmakers should at least try to make a movie for every book. If it can't be done, then split the books up like their doing with Hunger Games.

Now if your talking about making a movie using the lore and going in whole other direction plot wise is a different story. I can't see why anyone would want to do that when there is a wealth of material that just has to be adapted to screen. But it happens all the time like with Star Wars right now. Only reason that I think this should ever be done is if a better story could be made. If this is what your talking about then I'm for it I guess. But i think what happen with COB is we had an inexperienced screenwriter trying and failing at adapting a book series to the screen.

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[–] iscaria 11 years ago

Its not like they've wasted money on the sequels yet, have they?

They called off the the sequel approximately one week before it was due to start shooting. So, yes, they must have already spent a decent amount of money on pre-production. You can't be one week away from shooting and not have invested in sets, costumes, casting, scripts, etc, etc. In fact, they were planning to shoot the second and third films back-to-back, which means they must have already spent money pre-producing the third film as well. IN ADDITION TO THIS, they already had a screen-writer working on the prequel trilogy and were shopping around for a director. They had also bought film options to all 9 books in this series.

Calling off the shoot at the last minute means they didn't have to pay salaries to the film crew or cast, nor pay for any post-production expenses (eg, editing, visual effects, etc), but to imagine that they haven't invested any money on the sequels is absurd. And all this money was spent before the first film had even been released. That is, before they even knew if it would be a hit. It is abundantly clear that they weren't just carefully planning for sequels (as you suggest is wise), they were arrogantly assuming that the sequels would be made no matter what. I think this is the mindset that lead to them making a series of bad creative decisions when adapting the first book, which lead to it being a flop.

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[–] katbayleyuk 10 years ago

They had the sequel on IMDB just before COB was released. As I have read the mortal instruments, The twilight saga and The hunger games. The mortal instruments was the more gripping of the series. I also think that COB was not so successful in the cinema maybe they should finish the series on TV like they Buffy. They started out with a movie then carried on with a TV series. This was a great film I liked it and city of ashes would be a great thing to see on the big screen but to see it on tv would be a good thing I think. But if COA is to make it to the big screen maybe other screenwriters could be looked into as this has some great scenes. I heard that they were making it as loads of fans kept writing in to see it made and they agreed.

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[–] althea_faerie 10 years ago

For example, most everyone agrees the plot of COB was incredibly confusing (if you hadn't read the book).

Really?

I only watched the move a couple of days ago...and I didn't find it confusing at all. Which parts did people find confusing?

There were some things that felt like a set up for later instalments, but it wasn't confusing. It just made me hope there's a sequel. (And induced me to start reading the boxset of books that's been sitting untouched on the bookshelf since someone gave them as freebies to my husband a couple of years ago).

Worst. Rescue. EVER!

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[–] LadyofAzul 11 years ago

I agree with you that it would have been better as a tv show. I've read the books (saw the movie first,) and I didn't feel like they ruined the movie by ignoring the book completely (I actually think they tried to make them as connected as possible), the problem was that they cut so much out due to time. If they had made it into a tv series, they wouldn't have to do all of that. They have a big world to explore with so much myth and lore (not to mention characters) to it that making it into a movie to cash in on the Twilight phase was a bad move.

Clare said they wanted to make The Internal Devices (the stand alone prequel) into a tv show, but I feel The Mortal Instruments would have been better because it's longer (6 books) while the Internal Devices is only 3 (and probably would have been better as a movie).

My biggest pet peeve with the movie, however, was that it was too cheesy and predictable. If I had not read the books, I would have not cared for a sequel (like for Beautiful Creatures), but since I did, I still want to see it (if only for the sake of watching the characters and story come to life for a moment). I think it would have been a better world with better characters than the Twilight franchise too.

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[–] rumipoet24 11 years ago

Once you exclude The Hunger Games, what exactly are are you left with? The Twilight Saga? Beautiful Creatures? The Host? Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters? I Am Number Four? They're all pretty weak movies. Being the best of a bad bunch doesn't mean COB deserves a sequel.

Exactly, one thinks of the opening scenes for "300" in Sparta with the upbringing & relentless training of a young King Leonides, then we see him out alone in the wild facing the hungry wolf. These YA efforts need to draw in far more realism & flesh out the characters more as well as depict & develope those potential great evils that exist.

This had great potential,but fell way short in that chaos of cramming too much in too little time,too much CG, not succeding in creating a universe landscape that was believable.

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[–] dsanborn79 11 years ago

I am hoping for a sequel just to see if it is possible for the group of characters to come together and pull off a great movie. Though not a big fan of the Twilight series at first I noticed with each new movie it got better I really do believe Breaking Dawn was the best.Maybe Immortal Instruments could be like that. (maybe) The Hunger Games is so well done it will be hard to beat that. Beautiful Creatures was okay. I like Jeremy Irons, but he was killed off in the first one so I don't give it mush hope. I blame it on the casting. The actors did not fit the characters they were meant to play. I think of all the movies Immortal Instruments should have a sequel.

There have been so many bad movies out of Hollywood lately. Not really sure what is going on....There are those few that are really good and the rest are just fillers not worthy of the price of admission.

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[–] delicatefabric 11 years ago

Harry Potter does not belong in the YA genre. At least it didn't start as YA books. It is well-received by people of all ages, from little kids to adults.

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[–] iscaria 11 years ago

Harry Potter is commonly categorized in the young adult genre. See: http://www.boxofficemojo.com/genres/chart/?id=yaadaptations.htm.

You're right that it appeals to people outside that demographic, but that argument could apply to everything. The publishing industry has MANY more subcategories to divide books into, because they have to take into account reading level as well as appeal. The film industry doesn't have that problem which is why their definition of the YA genre is much broader, encompassing anything primarily aimed at people aged 10-17.

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[–] konfou 10 years ago

Once you exclude The Hunger Games, what exactly are are you left with? The Twilight Saga? Beautiful Creatures? The Host? Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters? I Am Number Four? They're all pretty weak movies.

Yeah. Every major YA, besides HP and THG, adaption is rubbish. Also, to your list include Eragon. Another franshise that succeeded as a book series, yet failed as a film. Now that I'm thinking it, The Golden Compass also didn't live to its expectations. What the heck?

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[–] ilinn2 11 years ago

I will stand alongside anyone who thinks filmmakers and critcs are being biased and should give The Mortal Instruments another go.
THIS MOVIE MUST HAPPEN!!!

Just Remember Who the real enemy is....

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[–] purple_stop_sign 10 years ago

WILDCHRISSY32
They have announced that they are doing City of Ashes though I think based on the little bit of an IMDB entry there is it's not going to be out till next year which given how long it's been since the first one and that I just read the second book is ok as long as it gets made especially given I've been believing it wouldn't happen.

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[–] AnnahMH 10 years ago

Yeah it was really that bad

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[–] katiej700-925-884020 11 years ago

i cant wait for the movie i am interested to find out how they film the part where they break the news that jace and clary arent brother and sister so that they can be together

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[–] Shimmer_Me_Timbers 11 years ago

Let's just hope that if the sequel comes out they take pointers from Twilight.

Now before you freak out let me explain... Twilight wasn't very good, that's fact. But it became a phenomenon because the marketers and pr people knew how appease the fan base and encouraged it to grow. I mean they initially thought that it was going to be a one and done indie movie but as they started filming they realized that there was an expanding fan base and they played into that.

I think that's one of the biggest problems these YA book-to-movie-adaptions are suffering from, the movie people are trying to ride the coat tails of Twilight but they're not willing to put effort into it.

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[–] Scootinbabe 11 years ago

I am. Can't wait. Love the cast and want to see them and the films continue on their journey.

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[–] iscaria 11 years ago

Godfrey Gao, the actor who played Magnus Bane, seems to think the sequel is going to start filming this year:
http://tmisource.com/2014/03/21/report-could-production-on-the-mortal- instruments-city-of-ashes-begin-this-year/

On the other hand, Constantin Media (the production company that made COB) just announced that because a number of its films disappointed last year, its profits fell almost 50% and it lost several million dollars. The report says that COB "failed at the box office" and was a "major in-house flop."
http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/germanys-constantin-media-result s-slump-691618

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[–] cahedy 11 years ago

If Constatin has been paying any attention to how many fans have been posting on various sites with the hope of a sequel, maybe they would understand that fans would turn up at theaters the second time around to ensure the second film is a success and a third is made.

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[–] mizzaphoenix 11 years ago

The fandom isn't big enough to make this a successful franchise. Films like this, with budgets they have, need to be appealing to non-fans.

Do you have any talents?
Well, I'm an Alcoholic.

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[–] cahedy 11 years ago

I had never heard of the movie or book series until it was at Redbox, so the fan base has likely grown... and the last book is coming out in 2 months which will help put the spotlight back on the story.

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[–] mizzaphoenix 11 years ago

It still won't get made. Constatin have lost too much money over poor investments in films the past year. They need a guaranteed hit, not a sequel to a film that flopped and was poorly received.

Do you have any talents?
Well, I'm an Alcoholic.

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[–] soonaichoi 11 years ago

Raising hand, yep, need a sequel. Never heard of this movie and by accident turned to it on Starz. Loved it. Loved Jace and the actor that portrayed the character. Enjoyed the scenes and special effects. Truly keep my interest and really do love the plot, storyline, good vs. evil.

Was presently surprised about JCB because I had just watched TBD2.

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[–] SarahWL 11 years ago

Just adding my voice here ! I want another movie too !

It has already been said somewhere, but the official facebook page of the first movie counts 1.4 million fans. And keeps growing. TMI, the movie, has a fanbase.
If they manage to advertise the second movie better (I've never heard of the first one before picking it up randomly on DVD a few weeks ago), it really can work.
The story is interesting, the cast is great, I can't see why this franchise should fail. Let's blame it on bad timing and bad advertising for the first one.

I just wish they'd let us know what will happen with it. It was cancelled, then it could have started again, then nothing. Not knowing is the worse...

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[–] poohlover1983 11 years ago

According to the production company they are already back in production and either already filming or getting ready to film.
I personally can't wait for the second movie.

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[–] India_Ana 11 years ago

The Mortal Instruments: City of Ashes
www.imdb.com/title/tt2848310/board/threads/

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

tinyurl.com/FreeFlashFictionCourse
bthetwilightsaga.runboard.com/

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