Game of Thrones' George R.R. Martin wants his 1982 vampire novel,Fevre Dream,to be adapted by the Academy Award-winning director Guillermo del Toro, with meetings about the project already taking place. While Martin is best known for writing theA Song of Ice and Firenovels that were adapted into HBO’sGame of Thrones,Martin has written many other books, includingFevre Dream. The novel takes place on the Mississippi River in the 1800s, where steamboat captain Abner Marsh becomes business partners with the mysterious Joshua York, who, unbeknownst to him, is a vampire hunter.
In an interview withWinter Is Coming,Martin detailed how he has already had several meetings with del Toro and that they both want to adaptFevre Dream. Martin explained that he has already written a screenplay for the adaptation and that he currently owns the rights to the project. He clarified that aFevre Dreamadaptation is still a long ways off, though, as del Toro is not able to fully commit to this project at this time. Nevertheless, he and Martin already have an actor cast as Abner. Read Martin’s comments below:
I loveFevre Dream, and I’ve had numerous meetings. I’ve written a screenplay forFevre Dream, we did develop it at one point. They didn’t make the screenplay of course, but the rights reverted to me, so I own it.
I’ve had meetings with Guillermo del Toro aboutFevre Dream. He loves it, he says he wants to do it…but he doesn’t want to do itnow.He always has this project first and that project first, and then this other project. But eventually he’ll doFevre Dream,if he lives that long and I live that long and movies live that long, I don’t know… I thinkFevre Dreamwould be great.
We wanna star Ron Perlman, we’ve even cast it! My friend Ron Perlman as Abner Marsh. Ron wants to do it. Everybody wants to do it, all we need is $100 million.
What This Means For Fevre Dream’s Future
Progress Has Been Made, But The Project Still Has A Long Way To Go
Martin’s comments indicate the significant interest that both he and del Toro have in aFevre Dreamadaptation based on their multiple meetings and casting Perlman in the lead role. Having the screenplay written, and the director and main actor committed to the project isalready more progress than many book-to-screen adaptations ever make. Between his many ongoing and upcoming projects, includingdel Toro’s upcomingFrankensteinfilm, he is unable to fully commit toFevre Dreamat this time, but is committed to eventually bringing the story to the screen.
A project with household names like Martin, del Toro, and Perlman should not have too many issues getting the necessary backing, although as Martin also mentions, nothing is for certain in the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry.
As promising as all these elements are,aFevre Dreamfilm is still years away from coming to fruition. Martin’s remark about"need[ing] $100 million"is a reminder that the film still needs financial backing and a distributor. A project with household names like Martin, del Toro, and Perlman should not have too many issues getting the necessary backing, although as Martin also mentions, nothing is for certain in the ever-changing landscape of the entertainment industry.
Our Take On George R.R. Martin’s Comments
The Fevre Dream Adaptation Is In Good Hands
Martin, del Toro, and Perlman sound like the perfect teamto adaptFevre Dream. The immense success ofGame of ThronesandHouse of the Dragonproves how well Martin’s writing translates to the screen. Del Toro is an all-time great horror director and is no stranger to expertly adapting existing work as he did withHellboyandPinocchio. Perlman is known for playing often gruff characters, making him well-suited to playing Abner. Hopefully, all the logistics will align and theFevre Dreamadaptation will eventually become a reality.
Game Of Thrones
Cast
Based on George R. R. Martin’s ongoing A Song of Ice and Fire novel series, Game of Thrones is a fantasy drama set in the fictional continents of Westeros and Essos. It follows noble families like the Starks, Lannisters, and Targaryen vying for control of the Iron Throne while a rising threat from the undead looms in the North. The series received significant critical success and amassed a loyal fan base due to its high production values, sprawling sets, iconic characters, and shocking twists.
