“Don Quixote” is one of those books that sits on our bookshelf shaming us that we haven’t cracked the 1,500-page landmark novel, but Warner Bros. is giving hope to those English students who want to find a quick way out of having to read the thing.
Pajiba reports that the studio is fast-tracking a tentpole movie version of “Don Quixote” with Joel Silver to produce. Silver is familiar with bringing literary work to the big screen, having his fingerprints on last year’s hit “Sherlock Holmes,” which is already gearing up to shoot the sequel this fall. But for those English students happy to have an easy cheat, they are in for a world of disappointment. The film, not surprisingly, will play fast and loose with the source material (much like ‘Holmes’ did) and reveal “that Don Quixote isn’t crazy and that there is, in fact, a fantasy world.” Much swashbuckling ensues. It’s probably not to hard to guess the project will skew young and be sexed up. It’s pretty much a standard template at this point.
Of course, there is one other “Don Quixote” project in the works, namely Terry Gilliam’s long-gestating and seemingly plagued “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote.” Though Gilliam seems to be ready to get this thing rolling, scouting locations earlier this year, it still needs financing. Ewan McGregor is tentatively attached but the project is far from a sure thing. That said, even if it does, it would hardly be seen as a threat to WB’s much more mainstream, razzle dazzle, and probably 3-D version.
The WB/Silver “Don Quixote” is still in early stages so there’s no word on a screenwriter or cast but those details will surface in time. For now, we just leave you with the thought that one of literature’s touchstone achievements is being left in the hands of the guy who produced “Gothika,” “Fred Claus” and “Cradle 2 Tha Grave.” Just sayin’.