Warner Bros. pulls plug on 'Elfquest' adaptation

Wendy Pini says studio afraid to compete with Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit'

By HitFix Staff Wednesday, Jan 25, 2012 3:03 PM

Warner Bros. pulls plug on 'Elfquest' adaptation

Warner Bros. has decided to pull the plug on the adaptation of the comic book series "Elfquest"

Wendy Pini, co-creator of the comics along with Richard Pini, says that the upcoming box office juggernaut of "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" is the reason why.

Pini's official "Elfquest" Facebook page says that the studio has bowed out of the potentially pricey adaptation in order to avoid competition with Peter Jackson's two-part "Lord of the Rings" followup.

"After close to four years of suspense, and no longer than four years of your much-appreciated interest and support, the word has come down from Warner Bros. And the word is 'no'," she says. "Their simple explanation is that they don't want to compete with 'The Hobbit'. This was a possibility, among several, that we were prepared for. It is a relief, at last, you know."

The 1978 comic book series "Elfquest" depicts a band of elves called the Wolfriders, who walk a fantasy landscape of the Earth-like planet Adobe populated with all sorts of creatures for them to befriend or oppose. A cult hit, "Elfquest" spawned a number of other comics and was going to be turned into a '90s animated series, only for the deal to fall through.

The movie version has long been in development at Warner Bros., with writer-director Rawson Marshall Thurber (who directed "Dodgeball" and wrote "Tower Heist") attached to the project.

"The Hobbit" opens December 14, 2012, and stars Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Andy Serkis, Benedict Cumberpatch, Cate Blanchett, Christopher Lee and Elijah Wood.

Related Searches: Elfquest, The Hobbit

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Marque

Honestly, how can WB say that. By the time production would be finished on Elfquest, the Hobbit's second half will already be in theatre's. WB has lack of vision, and I hope this does not dispell the dreams of the Pini's to have this story told on the screen, big or small (i.e. Game of Thrones).
January 26, 2012 at 12:02PM EST Reply to Comment
Richard Pini

This is Richard Pini. Let's make it crystal clear: Wendy did NOT say WB is afraid of anything. She properly reported that (using their own words now) WB did not want to invest a lot of money "in a project that could feel redundant of THE HOBBIT..." Here, in fact, is what Wendy actually posted on Facebook: "After close to four years of suspense - and longer than four years of your much-appreciated interest and support - the word has come down from Warner Bros. And the word is "no." Their simple explanation is that they don't want to compete with 'The Hobbit.' This was a possibility, among several, that we were prepared for. It is a relief, at last, to know."
January 26, 2012 at 12:09PM EST Reply to Comment

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Warner Bros. pulls plug on 'Elfquest' adaptation

Wendy Pini says studio afraid to compete with Peter Jackson's 'The Hobbit'