Redwall optioned for film

[MeadowR]

It's a shame it likely won't be 2D... but if an independent company had picked it up, they might've done a great job with it in 2D anyway. So assuming it's more of a major company (does it say? I haven't read every post), then I hope they keep the CGI animals realistic looking but with a humanish side like the bulk of the UK bookcovers do. I don't want massive heads in proportion to bodies and all that kind of silliness for Redwall, thank you!

[Dannflower Reguba]

       I think Marlfox could have some good adaption, the majority of the book is the journey, and given that many movies are over 2 hours these days, I think they could fit in most of the journey, especially if they glossed over the Redwall portions. As you've said about others, the quest for the tapestry is fairly "made to order."  

      What do you guys think about Mattimeo? I'm having a bit of a time remembering every thing that happened in that book, so I'm a little curious what you guys think would come of that.

@MeadowRabbit: Disproportion is more of an anime thing than a CGI thing, at least in my experience. It would be a bad move for them to try something like that, especially on animal characters.

[MeadowR]

^ How about Bolt? I still don't get that weird proportioning to this day! Basically I'm thinking of a lot of 3D films with baaad designs, not just a head being too big and whatnot. As long as they don't go too cartoony and too bright with the colours, as the books are of course quite serious in tone, there could be some hope.

[LT Sandpaw]

If you've seen the movie Legend of the Guardians, bad movie but excellent CGI. Perhaps we will get lucky and they won't do it horribly.

[Søren]

If you've seen the movie Legend of the Guardians, bad movie but excellent CGI. Perhaps we will get lucky and they won't do it horribly.

Let's hope so.

[LordTBT]

I envision a Martin the Warrior-Mossflower-Redwall trilogy, which, if successful, could allow other books to be adapted. I think it's key to establish the character of Martin first for film audiences.

[The Skarzs]

Problem with Mossflower being made into a film is how bloody it is in the last battle between Martin and Tsarmina: Both tore each other to near-pieces.
(Although, I really wouldn't mind a bit of that, because of what is really seen in battle.)

[Søren]

Didn't stip Legends of the Guardians. Metal Beak was stabbed with a burning stick for chesse sake.

[LordTBT]

Problem with Mossflower being made into a film is how bloody it is in the last battle between Martin and Tsarmina: Both tore each other to near-pieces.
(Although, I really wouldn't mind a bit of that, because of what is really seen in battle.)

I don't see that as a problem. There's violence in all the books...can you imagine seeing Gulo the Savage devour an enemy?!

The books are intended for a middle school audience. That's around age 12-13 (granted, I know many start younger, I started at age 10 myself). I'm not seeing a problem with a PG-13 adaptation, although if this can't be the case...I'd prefer the hardest PG possible.

[James Gryphon]

LordTBT answered while I was posting, but so this doesn't go to waste:

If we limit the choice of book based on the violence depicted therein, I'm not sure off-hand whether any of them would pass the test. Just to list off a few:

In Redwall Matthias slices Killconey in half when the ferret gets thrown in his way.
In Mariel of Redwall Gabool literally lops the head off of Bludrigg (a move that is said to have elicited horror from "the most hardened corsairs").
In Outcast of Redwall Zigu tortures and kills Fordpetal.
In Pearls of Lutra Skipper gets torn up (though not fatally) by a Monitor. Lask Frildur similarly fatally mauls Romsca.
In The Long Patrol Rockjaw Grang gets run through by multiple javelins and arrows, and if I remember right, even pulls one of them out to use against the attacking Rapscallions.
In Marlfox Mokkan (and others) get torn to shreds by the pikes.
In Rakkety Tam Gulo's horde eats other beasts; also Gulo gets decapitated.

These are just a few examples. You can find something that's too violent for a safe rating in just about every book, if you look for it. Most likely a film adaption would either edit it out completely, or downplay the injuries' appearance, so that they wouldn't look as bad as all that (maybe a little blood, but no gaping wounds or anything).

[The Skarzs]

I really don't have a problem with it; in fact, I would rather. . . enjoy (for lack of a better word) the addition of blood into it.

[LT Sandpaw]

There's lots of books that are enormously gruesome that get mellowed down on film. my guess is they will mellow it down, which will be a shame.

[Izeroth]

 As long as they don't remove the deaths entirely (like, for instance, Bragoon and Saro still die) I would be okay with some mellowing. In their current state, with no changes, the Redwall books would probably make of a pg-13 movie.

[JangoCoolguy]

And just hope a Redwall movie wouldn't have the same unfortunate fate as LotG... <.<

In their current state, with no changes, the Redwall books would probably make of a pg-13 movie.

Do there will definitely be changes. Unless, of course, it's released directly on home media... (then again, the MPAA rating system is a bad joke and shouldn't be taken seriously)

[Captain Tammo]

There are ways you could still include the deaths without making them detailed. For example, with Rockjaw Grang and his last stand, one could just depict it as Tammo and Manycoats running off and end the scene with him charging at the enemy yelling blood and vinegar. Personally, I think The Long Patrol would make a fantastic adaptation. When I think CGI, I think Narnia, personally, and I think that sort of style would be perfect for this. Ga'Hoole also had a pretty neat art style that would work. There are ways of making violent battles toned down on the blood so that it could fit a PG movie. Just because a scene was brutal in the book doesn't mean that it'll be adapted the same way on film, you know?