The Termeraire series is a trilogy of fantasy novels (
His Majesty's Dragon is the first) where dragons rule in the skies in 19th century Earth which Peter Jackson has just optioned the rights to. The author
Naomi Novik was a programmer/designer at Floodgate Entertainment and worked on Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide before switching careers.
Peter Jackson: Lord of the DragonsBy Josh Grossberg
With King Kong behind him, Peter Jackson has found a project gargantuan enough keep the his F/X wizards at WETA busy for another six years.
The Lord of the Rings ringmaster has reportedly optioned the rights to Temeraire, a new historical fantasy series that reimagines the Napoleonic Wars with the addition of dragons and heroic aviators.
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Jackson, 44, dipped into his own funds to acquire the novels by first-timer writer, Naomi Novik, a former computer programmer who once worked on a videogame titled Neverwinter Nights: Shadows of Undrentide.
The story of Temeraire centers on British naval Captain Will Laurence who, after capturing a French vessel, discovers an unhatched dragon egg in the hold that was intended as a gift from the emperor of China to Napoleon. After the egg hatches, Laurence bonds with the creature, gives up his naval career and, together with the black beast, which he's named Temeraire, take to the skies as part of His Majesty's newly formed Aerial Corps.
"Temeraire is a terrific meld of two genres that I particularly love--fantasy and historical epic," Jackson tells the Reporter. "I can't wait to see Napoleonic battles fought with a squadron of dragons. That's what I go to the movies for."
Novik penned the first Temeraire book, His Majesty's Dragon, in 2004. It immediately piqued the interest of Del Rey Publishing which requested two more installments and the entire series was launched in the spring.
Jackson reportedly got wind of the series via producer Lucas Foster, who read the galleys in January and forwarded them on to Jackson's manager, Ken Kamins.
"As I was reading these books, I could see them coming to life in my mind's eye," the New Zealand native said. "These are beautifully written novels, not only fresh, original and fast-paced, but full of wonderful characters with real heart."
It also didn't hurt that Temeraire could also spread its wings into other platforms as well, such as interactive entertainment, something Jackson has become intimately acquainted with on a creative level over the last few years after collaborating on videogames for The Lord of the Rings and King Kong. He's also set to executive produce a movie version of the hit game Halo.
Foster and Kamins will serve as executive producer on the project. Still no word yet whether Jackson will film one book or all three (or whether the shape-shifting
Andy Serkis will suit up and play the dragon).
Does that mean Jackson has finally said so long to the Shire? Not quite.
After The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King won 11 Oscars to sweep the 2004 Academy Awards, Jackson spoke of helming The Hobbit, a prequel to J.R.R. Tolkien's Rings cycle. But because the rights were tied up in litigation, the director decided to move on to King Kong.
Variety now reports that MGM has secured screen rights to The Hobbit and wants the director to come aboard--a no-brainer given his Rings trilogy has earned more than $1 billion at the domestic box office.
Jackson, however, says he's yet to get a phone call about the job. And if he does, it might take awhile.
Aside from Temeraire, which has yet to have a firm start date, Jackson has been working with his companion, Fran Walsh, and their writing partner, Phillipa Boyens, on a feature adaptation of Alice Sebold's The Lovely Bones due out next year. He is also producing Halo and Universal's special effects-heavy remake of the World War II drama Dambusters, both slated for 2008.
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