Philip Pullman Film News

No, I'm not talking about The Golden Compass movie. The Guardian has reported that Philip Pullman has given (free of charge) the film rights to his novel, The Butterfly Tattoo, to a small independent Dutch company that promotes educational projects for young people. Dynamic Entertainment now has the option to adapt the book, in exchange for 10% of any eventual revenues. Filming is expected to begin in August. The Butterfly Tattoo was originally published in 1992 as The White Mercedes (by which title it is available in the US) and is described by Pullman as a tragedy.

You can find out more about the film project at the Dynamic Entertainment website. They're inviting people to invest in the project, so do take a look.

Television treats for British fantasy fans

British fans of Philip Pullman and Terry Pratchett are hoping for Christmas treats. The BBC are screening an adaptation of Philip Pullman's novel The Ruby in the Smoke (the first book in the Sally Lockhart quartet) on December 27th at 8.30 pm. The Victorian adventure stars the actress who recently retired as Doctor Who's assistant, Billie Piper, alongside Oscar-nominated Julie Walters. Good news for American fans - according to the PBS site, it'll be airing in early February in the US (it's about half way down the page on the left hand side !) on Masterpiece Theatre.

And Terry Pratchett fans are hoping that Sky One's adaptation of Pratchett's Discworld novel, Hogfather, lives up to its potential. Fans of the book and the TV movie, may be interested in the Hogfather: The Illustrated Screenplay or the Hogfather Calendar, both of which I've seen and can recommend as being interesting (and in the case of the calendar, full of some brilliant photos !). Hogfather is airing on Sky One on December 17 and 18, and again on December 25 and 26, in two 2-hour slots.