MovieChat Forums > The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (2013) Discussion > television series in the works

television series in the works

posted 10 years ago by Charlie2164
25 replies | jump to latest

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mipcom-mortal-instruments-return -as-740204

'Helix' showrunner Ed Decter will develop Cassandra Clare's YA fantasy franchise for the small screen

After stalling at the box office, The Mortal Instruments is coming back. As a television series. Constantin Film, the production company that controls the rights to Cassandra Clare's best-selling YA fantasy franchise and which produced The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones film, is relaunching Mortal Instruments as a high-end drama series.

Constantin has hired Ed Decter, whose writer-producer credits include Helix, Unforgettable, In Plain Sight and The Client List, as the showrunner for the Mortal Instruments series. The project is currently in development, with Constantin planning to begin production next year. No broadcast partners are yet attached to the series.

Constantin had originally planned to turn Clare's fantasy series into a feature film franchise but shelved that idea after the first Mortal Instruments film, starring Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower, tanked at the box office, earning just $31 million domestically. Constantin, however, insisted it had not abandoned the franchise and planned to return to Mortal Instruments.

“It actually makes sense to do (the novels) as a TV series,” Constantin film and TV head Martin Moszkowicz told THR. “There was so much from the book that we had to leave out of the Mortal Instruments film. In the series we'll be able to go deeper and explore this world in greater detail and depth.”

The Mortal Instruments series is part of a broader strategic shift at Constantin that will see the German-based company move into English-language television series. Moszkowicz said Constantin is looking at possible television adaptations of several of its English-language movie properties, including period serial killer drama Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and the Resident Evil sci-fi horror franchise.

Constantin's German television business has been consistently profitable over the years even as its recent English-language films, with the exception of the Resident Evil titles, have misfired. In addition to Mortal Instruments, Constantin's big-budget disaster movie Pompeii and the 3D animated Tarzan, both fizzled at the box office.

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] catarinaloss 10 years ago

I cannot express how happy this makes me. I had hoped so badly that this would happen, but I never thought it actually would.

[–] Mollyannfenton 10 years ago

So stupidly excited for this, feeling like Christmas has came early hopefully they will start from the very beginning and will keep everything in! A series per book and a chapter per episode, no excuses to miss anything out or change vital things! Ahh!

[–] Sjclevv 10 years ago

What are the chances they recast?

[–] xabeautifulliex 10 years ago

What about the original cast? Will Jamie Campbell Bower, Lily Collins, Robert Sheehan, Jemima West, or Kevin Zegers return to the TV Show as their characters. This is most likely a NO. Even though we have The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones as a film, I expect… and would assume the smart decision of starting from scratch. A new cast, scrap the first movie, and start from the beginning of book one. Some of the original cast may want to participate, and some may not want anything to do with the project. It would be difficult for the audience who have seen the movie to forget and put aside the events from the film. A completely fresh cast would be the smartest move for the television show.

Via http://www.pagetopremiere.com/2014/10/the-mortal-instruments-will-offi cially-return-as-a-tv-show/

Does it run in your blood, to betray the ones you love?

[–] LaunchpadMcQuack 10 years ago

Thanks so much for posting this exciting news! If I weren't so lazy, I'd be jumping up and down. I guess that's what these 😂😄😍😅👏🙌💃🙆💖🐸🌠🌈🎆 are for.
In other words, WOOTWOOT!!!
As much as I love Jamie Campbell-Bower and Robert Sheehan, and my head would explode in ecstasy if they reprised their roles as Jace and Simon in this show, I don't really expect any of the main cast to come to TV for this show. I would absolutely love it though if some of the peripheral characters showed up. Like Aidan Turner as Luke--there wasn't enough Luke in the movie & book Luke is so awesome. I also loved Kevin Durand as Pangborn, but I just generally love Kevin Durand and he's got the best line in the movie ("Hello Mr. Garroway. Looks like you're having a rrrrruff day." Get it? Cuz he's a werewolf) And, last but certainly not least, Godfrey Gao as Magnus Bane. If they could get him to be in the TV show, they would attract alot of Magnus fans. I can't wait for all the glitter!!
I really hope this actually happens; I agree that the books would be well served in an episodic structure. Yay times 1000!

Downworlders? What's that? Like, people who live below 14th street?
--Simon Lewis

[–] scottiecruz-891-336570 10 years ago

I agree totally about not recasting some of the supporting characters from the film, particularly Godfrey Gao and Aidan Turner. As much as I loved Jamie, Lily, Kevin and Jemima, I think they will be too old to play teenagers by the time they finish filming all the books. But Godfrey and Aidan are perfect!

[–] funkemunke23 10 years ago

I agree. Love them as these characters. Aidan is incredibly good at looking older and younger with just a shave, some can not pull that off(ie. Hobbit franchise to this movie). 🙌

[–] xabeautifulliex 10 years ago

I am so glad this is happening. I was pretty disappointed with the first movie, but I love the books so much. As long as they keep to a 12 episode season it hold be really good. The only thing I'm thinking is that they will probably recast because the actors may not want to be tied into a tv show (or they may not even be available with the projects they have going now) which is a bit disappointing.

Does it run in your blood, to betray the ones you love?

[–] synd05 10 years ago

OMG OMG OMG

This was all I ever wanted. Finally they listened. TMI will finally get a worthy adaptation.

Monkeyslut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[–] iscaria 10 years ago

Two things I find interesting about this news article:

1. "Relaunching." Not continuing, relaunching. So they will be rebooting COB?

2. "High-end drama series." High end like HBO-style high-end? The COB movie was far from high-end (more like schlocky low-brow...) so I am interested to see how they retool the narrative...

[–] xabeautifulliex 10 years ago

Yes they will be rebooting, from the first book =)

Does it run in your blood, to betray the ones you love?

[–] Charlie2164 10 years ago

apologies to all. i had just updated the thread,more detailed information.

[–] FatalxKrystal 10 years ago

I'm ecstatic that we're finally getting some news but I have a strong feeling they will change things. I don't know about GoT or even Outlander but they will possibly be making changes for the sake of suspense. There is actually a small minority that prefers there to be changes when making adaptations with the whole "I want to be surprised! I don't want to know what's already gonna to happen" I do like the idea of them starting over, CoB did have a charm to it and fun scenes, especially the ones that were faithful to the book but I'm glad they are gonna be a little more faithful, Maybe we'll see Raphael, Simon as a rat and the Forsaken!

I would always rather be happy than dignified. 😁

[–] LaunchpadMcQuack 10 years ago

I was just watching the deleted scenes on the DVD, and in one of them Simon does mention that he thought he'd turned into an animal--not anything cool like a dragon or a tiger, but a rat. I think the filmmakers wanted to have everything from the books that they could, but Hollywood demands economy above all things, even if it means that fans of the source material might be upset.
Anyhoo, hopefully the TV series will take advantage of the time that an episodic structure allows. If done well the show could more fully and deeply delve into the characters & the shadow world than the movie was able to.

Downworlders? What's that? Like, people who live below 14th street?
--Simon Lewis

[–] FatalxKrystal 10 years ago

Eh, I saw that scene and I thought it was kinda bad. It felt cheaply tacked on like "we couldn't do this scene but don't think we forgot it in general!"

I would always rather be happy than dignified. 😁