Amazon Producing Fantasy CHILD

By: Jarrod Sarafin, News Editor
Date: Friday, February 22, 2008
Source: Variety

Amazon.com is breaking into the film industry by heading into production of The Stolen Child, which is based on the fantasy novel by Keith Donahue. Variety reports the Seattle-based corporation optioned the rights late 2006 and had screenwriter Ron Nyswaner penning the screenplay but the WGA strike caused the production to stall. With it over, Amazon will be teaming with 20th Century Fox to bring this fantasy novel to the big screen. Marc Platt is on board to produce.

Plot Concept: Story revolves around a man who was kidnapped by hobgoblins as a boy and replaced by a look-alike imposter. The book follows both versions of the character as they struggle through their new lives and environments.

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Comments/Responses

dawntreader • Feb 22, 2008, 12:39am •

weak. i see no reason to make this based on the plot concept. might as well as call it tarzan meets the hobgoblins.

monkeyfoot • Feb 22, 2008, 07:26am •

Wow, I immediately thought the opposite, dawntreader. That is such an interesting idea that's never been done in a movie that the cinematic possiblities seem great. I'm not at all familiar with the novel but this type of story could take either a comedic turn, similar to Elf, or something dark and gothic along the lines of a Tim Burton movie.
I'll look this book up (on Amazon) to see more about it.

Whiskeymovie • Feb 22, 2008, 07:55am •

I agree Monkeyfoot, my first thought was it sounded very interesting. It does seems like a new take on the relm of fantasy. I can't believe that Amazon.com is getting into the movie industry, but I guess it does seem like the next natural progression for them.

sing4life87 • Feb 22, 2008, 08:52am •

"Stolen Child" is a fantastic book--it's pretty serious and moving, not a comedy in the realm of Elf. It follows both characters as they wonder what sort of life was stolen from each of them, and the even more interesting backstory of the hobgoblin replacement who begins to remember his life before he himself was stolen. Definitely recommended!

joeybaloney • Feb 22, 2008, 10:35am •

At the start of the article about Amazon.com breaking into flicks I was like, "This is gonna suck", but when I got to the plot I did a complete 180. This has great potential, Amazon.com aside.

kempmike79 • Feb 22, 2008, 10:48am •

I've read the book and it is very good. It's told from two different perspectives, that of the hobgoblin who takes the child's place as he grows up and becomes more and more human, and the human child who becomes more and more hobgoblin-like.

It's a good book but it would take a lot of skill and care to make it into a good movie. Or at least a movie that has the same tone as the book.

rgtchtiger • Feb 22, 2008, 12:26pm •

So does this mean we can expect Overstock, eBay, and Google to all get in the movie production mix too?

almostunbiased • Feb 22, 2008, 12:41pm •

This happened to me when I was a kid. Talk about a big headache.

momitchell7 • Feb 22, 2008, 02:36pm •

Dawntreader doesn't like the concept because it's not a "Chronicle's of Narnia" film..

And anything that has a tree in the picture must be a Tarzan-type movie.

Sounds cool to me... "Pan's Labyrinth" style fantasy?

experiMENTAL • Feb 22, 2008, 02:55pm •

WTF is the difference between a hobgoblin and regular old goblin?

I can't wait for eBay to start making movies based on shit sold on their site.
eBay Film Studio presents the story of 39yr old man living in his parent's basement, deeply engaged in bidding wars for a Magic the Gathering Cards Lot valued at about 14 bucks but he is driven to the edge of sanity to acquire his target, now sitting at $37.50 and only 11 hours remaining. What. Will. He. Do? He won't back down. He never backs down. Fresh from winning a slightly used DVD collection of 80s porn and a Mary Carey blowup doll with RealFlesh orifices, he has tasted victory. This summer: You too can feel the excitement. Let The Bidding Begin!

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