There are countless reasons fan-favorite books may not make the leap to either big or small screens—or at least, not as quickly as we’d like. Some tried-and-true, hugely popular favorites resonate within the SFF community and fandom, but never cross over into the larger cultural zeitgeist with a movie or TV interpretation. Some series are overlooked for one reason or another while others endure production issues, or get stuck in development purgatory, or fizzle out due to creative differences between those involved. And some (many, even) just haven’t gotten their chance yet, but still might…
But we’re readers, and the innate desire to see some of our favorite stories adapted successfully into a visual medium is strong. Maybe every book isn’t fit for the screen, and that’s fair. But I can think of myriad stories I’d love to see in theaters or on streaming services.
In my new “Please Adapt” column, each installment will feature a book or series deserving of a breakthrough. In some cases, I’ll focus on books that have been optioned or entered development but haven’t made it all the way to the screen yet. In others, I’ll dive deep into series that have yet to garner the attention of Hollywood’s creative forces and explain why the head honchos at filmmaking firms should take notice. I’ll examine series that I believe could be incredibly successful if adapted to the screen. I’ll even offer suggestions for the proper medium or perhaps suggest a creator whose style and flair could be a nice fit for the content and style of the original story.
This month’s selection is Scott Lynch’s Gentleman Bastard series, the oft-optioned series that has yet to find its well-deserved way to becoming a brilliant movie or TV adaptation.
The Story So Far
Lynch’s series opens with The Lies of Locke Lamora (2006). Two sequels follow: Red Seas Under Red Skies (2007) and The Republic of Thieves (2013). The fourth book, The Thorn of Emberlain, has been eagerly awaited for years now, with no updates or release info available at the moment—let’s not harp on that, though. I’m sure I’ll enjoy book four as much as the first three, no matter the wait. Instead, let’s look at the series’ torrid on-again, off-again affair with Hollywood.
The first glimmer of hope came from Warner Bros. The company purchased the rights in 2006. The project made little progress, though, and the rights lapsed in 2010—Scott Lynch confirmed this in a Tumblr post.
Sometime after those rights lapsed, another company optioned the Gentleman Bastard sequence, as confirmed by Lynch in a 2019 tweet announcing the third and latest acquisition of the rights. I dug around for a while but couldn’t find out which mysterious second company bought the rights and allowed them to lapse again. Phoenix Pictures (famous for Shutter Island and Black Swan) has held the rights since 2019. Lynch’s original confirmation clarified that Phoenix Pictures had optioned the script, implying that it could yet again fall to the wayside. Barring any major surprises, it appears that’s the case with Phoenix Pictures’ potential adaptation (the company’s website only mentions released projects).
Outlook: bleak. To date, The Lies of Locke Lamora seems a tough nut to crack on screen. But the book and its sequels still very much deserve the star treatment.
Setting the Tone
The Lies of Locke Lamora taught me how different fantasy can be. Medieval settings packed with highfalutin nobles and lords are commonplace in the genre, as are Chosen One narratives and rags-to-riches storylines. Gentleman Bastard subverts and twists all of these tropes. Lynch fiddles with reader expectations and creates a world that feels at once brutal and lighthearted, cynical and hopeful.
Buy the Book
The Lies of Locke Lamora
Gentleman Bastard isn’t Game of Thrones. Lynch may owe a lot to Martin and other fantasy predecessors, but his books say “Yes, and…” to the tropes of yore, serving up a witty, vulgar, and cutthroat atmosphere in which a joke and a gruesome murder might easily appear on the same page. He embraces tropes and conventions more often associated with other genres (up for a heist, anyone?), welcoming them into his work with open arms, making his stories feel fresh and fun.
Nothing showcases this quality better than Lynch’s character work in these books. Father Chains raises Locke Lamora and his comrades in a disguised temple, teaching them to steal from the rich by emulating the behavior of Camorr’s elite. Locke and his comrades Jean, Calo, Galdo, and Bug learn every trick of the con artist’s trade, as well as how to cook hearty meals, speak in various accents, crunch numbers, and lie with a gusto that gets them exactly what they want.
Lynch distills vulgarity and thievery into finely tuned, gentle arts, turning the Robin Hood trope on its head by empowering the thieves with open disdain for their targets. The Capas of Camorr are formidable, no doubt, but losing a hefty sum of their fortune to the Gentleman Bastards’ schemes equates to Jeff Bezos dropping a few bucks on the sidewalk.
Couple the joyful art of larceny with the quick and nimble wordplay of the crew’s verbal interactions, and you’ve got a unique and comical team ready-made for the screen. Simply put, Gentleman Bastard has its own distinct feel, of a sort that you don’t often find in the fantasy genre.
What better fit for an onscreen adventure? So many shows lean into the medieval, formal language peppered throughout epic fantasies. It certainly can work, and has in the past, but Locke Lamora avoids such conventions, favoring instead a new hybrid style. If done right, it might finally prove once and for all that fantasy doesn’t need to be all, “Ho there, what business?!” Sometimes, it’s “Nice bird, arsehole.” Humor can strengthen the emotional weight of a story, catch us off guard only to deliver an emotional twist, leaving us stunned. Perhaps the fusion of humor and darker dramatic beats can be treacherous terrain, but plenty of recent shows and films have walked that line, and Gentleman Bastard could be the next to succeed.
For my money, it’s a perfect fit for a James Gunn series, à la Peacemaker or Guardians of the Galaxy. The brutality of the former, the teamwork of the latter, and the humor of both would combine into a cohesive and endlessly entertaining Gentleman Bastard adaptation.
Genre-Bending Character Growth
As I’ve said above, Lynch fuses different genres and tweaks storytelling expectations with his fantasy. He isn’t afraid to be different, and his work feels wholly unique.
The Lies of Locke Lamora melds fantasy, crime caper, a coming-of-age story, magical elements, and plenty of mystery, and it’s hard to define the way these combined aspects all feel unless you’ve read at least one of the books. In the thick of it, Gentleman Bastard feels like a cohesive whole. Once you set it down and think back on the story, you realize just how many disparate elements Lynch has thrown at you, and how well they all work together.
In other words, Lynch loves to play with your expectations to keep you alert. To some degree, it’s like Game of Thrones and the season one death of the show’s apparent protagonist, or the general “nobody is safe” anxiety of GOT’s first six seasons. Lynch gives that same sense of stakes by connecting his themes and genre inspirations, but he grounds everything in the camaraderie of Locke and the crew. Losses feels more shocking and devastating as a direct result of the love and investment he makes you feel for his characters and the bonds and shared history between them.
Read the books, and you’ll see exactly what I’m talking about here. Red Seas Under Red Skies is every bit as good as its predecessor if you ask me (if you ask someone else, they may disagree with a surprising level of vehemence—Lynch fans tend to have strong opinions about the series). Locke’s world undergoes some intense, spoilerific changes between books one and two, opening up a world of opportunity for Red Seas. Lynch plays around with new genres and themes in each volume—each book is new and fresh, but they all feel distinctly like Gentleman Bastard stories.
The series is dynamic. It changes because the characters change. The world transforms, and Locke has to react in real-time. His goals change along with the subgenres of the books, so the story never feels stale or static.
For all these reasons, I long for a Gentleman Bastard TV series. The medium would let us steep ourselves in all the character growth, allowing enough runtime for the regular switch-ups and twists to take proper shape on-screen. Episode-ending cliffhangers could ease the transitional shock and provide more gradual narrative shifts. Lynch doesn’t give us a sitcom reset at the end of each story: Locke’s destiny evolves, and it would be a joy to watch that play out across multiple seasons. Moreover, Gentleman Bastard would certainly benefit from an all-star cast invested in the story more than, say, a string of budget-wrecking battles and giant set pieces. Don’t get me wrong: Lynch’s prose is captivating, especially in his descriptions of the setting (more about that in moment). Beautiful imagery can’t stand on its own, though. A show has to say something to stick with us, and the characters need to make us feel something. Get this right, and a Gentleman Bastard series could enrapture audiences everywhere.
The Camorr Of It All
Maybe I just want to see the Berangias sisters fight a demon shark, okay?
Well, it’s not just that. I want to see Camorr brought to life. And then the Sinspire. And then Karthain. As much as I love Lynch’s characters, themes, plots, and dialogue, the setting remains my favorite facet of his work.
Camorr is best described as a fantasy Venice where thieves are commonplace. The world has a structure, multiple belief systems, and a moral code. Camorr abides by a hierarchy in which the richest get richer and the poor must scrap and scrounge for a living (sound familiar?). Thieves must fork over a percentage of their earnings to Capa Barsavi. Locke and the crew exist in a tenuously peaceful world of systemic thievery; they abide by some of its rules while surreptitiously breaking others.
Lynch makes this world feel bustling and crowded. Locke and his cohort show us both sides of the system. They exist in the criminal underbelly of Camorr (though they secretly outearn every other thieving crew), and their plentiful alter egos insert themselves into the upper classes, thanks to extensive training from Father Chains.
Beyond the visceral and relatable feel of the world, it’s also stunning in its visual descriptions. Lynch writes sweeping passages about the locales of Camorr and beyond, all primed and ready for panoramic shots of a dirty-but-thriving city, replete with canals, gondolas, colorful buildings, and shady dealings between suspicious passers-by. Zoom in on the events of the novels for tense negotiations aboard a luxurious barge. Or pan around a vicious battle between two warriors and the primal marine beast they’re fighting. Then follow the camera through the secret entrance to the Gentleman Bastards’ hidden lair, accompanied by the sights and sounds of a sizzling meal-in-progress and the laughter of Father Chains, thrilled at his pupils’ latest score.
These potential cinematic morsels are all over Lynch’s novels, and they’d make for a captivating visual treat that would translate perfectly to the screen. Show me Camorr in all its shady criminal glory…show it to me through the eyes of a thief as he convinces a local noble to fork over half of his fortune.
Outlook: Cautiously Optimistic
As I explore possible book-to-screen adaptations in this column, I’ll try to give a realistic estimate of each property’s likelihood to make it to theaters or streamers.
Here, I’m cautiously optimistic. Production companies have publicly acquired the rights to the Gentleman Bastard books a whopping three times, though with no real progress beyond the optioning phase. Could be it’s a tough outlook for the movie scene, and I get that. There are a lot of moving parts to grasp in Lynch’s complex world. Again, I think The Lies of Locke Lamora would be better served as a TV series. Let us marinate in the story for a while and watch the characters grow and develop. There’s a lot of story to cover in the limited span of a movie’s runtime, but an eight or ten-hour series (with multiple seasons to cover the sequels) could do Lynch’s series justice.
Let’s say it’s possible, but not likely. I’ll resign myself to continuing my monthly deep-dives for any updates on Lynch’s crown jewel and eagerly await any smidgen of a hint that a real adaptation is on its way. In the meantime, what are the books and series you’d love to see on screen? Drop me a note in the comments!
Cole Rush writes words. A lot of them. For the most part, you can find those words at The Quill To Live or on Twitter @ColeRush1. He voraciously reads epic fantasy and science-fiction, seeking out stories of gargantuan proportions and devouring them with a bookwormish fervor. His favorite books are: The Divine Cities Series by Robert Jackson Bennett, The Long Way To A Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers, and The House In The Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune.
You planned a great heist with this one and stole my opinion! Locke must live on the screen!!!
I really like these books, and they’re super cinematic. The only issue I can see is how essential the city itself is to each book in the series – could they recreate Camorr or Tel Verrar in a way that doesn’t feel generic or overly CGI’d? Hopefully the Wheel of Time series paves the way in this regard.
I’d love to see a standalone adaptation of the first book. Attempting to adapt the whole series strikes me as somewhat suspect, though, given its unfinished status.
I liked Gentleman Bastards but I got tonal whiplash every time the first book shifted from “richer and cleverer than everyone else” high-spirit heist antics to “bloody massacre” mob revenge tragedy antics.
I would absolutely love to see this series brought to screen. And it seems like the kind of story that should hold some extra appeal to producers because it won’t break the bank, since the special effects needs aren’t as demanding as some fantasy epics. But I worry that we’d be stuck with a GoT situation if they started it now. IIRC, Lynch was planning this as a 7-book series. We’ve only got three, with number four somewhat on the horizon. I don’t really want TV writers/showrunners/producers to mess with the overall story arc before Lynch finishes it himself.
@@.-@ it would be glorious to watch TV audiences freak out though. In some ways, it’s even worse than the Red Wedding.
Be fair. The delay in The Thorn of Emberlain might have something to do with the fact that Lynch’s wife, Elizabeth Bear, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2021 . . .
@7: I think the point was that there’s no call for anyone to complain about the delay, since the author clearly has his reasons—better to wish him well and focus on discussing the books and potential adaptations…
Another unfinished grimdark endless fantasy series on screen? I’m sure nothing could possibly go wrong.
This series was in my TBR pile for some time, but did not really get around to it until last spring. I fell head over heels for it instantly and could not believe I had spent all these years without reading it. I would love to see it on screen, but only if the adaptation makes it justice, in which case it would be wonderful.
And speaking of tastes, I found myself wanting to reread it as soon as I finished it for the first time, and for me, it is “Red seas under red skies” my mind turns back to the most (pirates!).
The Lies of Locke Lamora could easily be adapted as a stand alone movie – it works best as a stand alone novel anyways.
Normally not interested in fantasy, at all. This not only held my attention to the end but made me question, maybe I am!
I first ran into Lynch in the Rogues anthology with “A Year and a Day in Old Theradane” (which was a lot of fun), and dug his style so much I had to research and find the Locke Lamora. I think they’d probably do well as a series, though there’s be no real breathing room in a movie.
Think a TV show is coming? Could work imo. Maybe a movie but been more into TV recently anyway
Scott did confirm last year that it was basically finished, and had been for a while but his mental health issues had prevented him from delivering it, and he was seeking new treatment and help so he could get the book and a whole bunch of short stories and novellas he’s also done out into the world.
@9: Grimdark? Not really.
I mean, yes. And I want Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum to play Locke and Jean
But . . . maybe we don’t give Scott Lynch a tv show until he finishes the series. We saw how that worked with George R. R. Martin . . .
Yes, please!! I think it would make a better series than a movie as the chapter and section breaks play a huge part in the pacing of the story, and they’d need time to build out the setting a bit. The flashbacks and fight sequences would be better suited to that format too, imo.
Ultimately though, I don’t want this if they’re not willing to cast Locke as a sad lil’ skinny dude, and Jean as a big fucking strong guy — but not ripped. Locke can’t be a classically handsome Hollywood guy. It simply won’t work. He needs to be a pathetic little asshole or it’s ruined.
@17 My thoughts exactly. One of Locke’s most important assets is that he fades into the background. Physically, he’s completely unremarkable and forgettable. His disguises only work because he’s a total blank slate with an outrageous personality. Casting someone with this description does nothing for Hollywood.
He also goes out of his way to describe Jean as being very husky. That is much more doable, IMO, but who knows if they’ll let that go.
Normally, I am not a stickler for casting based on physicality or race, or sometimes even gender, but Locke’s unassuming appearance is a big part of his character.
Book 3 would be a ***** to translate to film. For spoilery reasons.
And while no, we shouldn’t harp on him for being “late” with book 4, I have to believe Hollywood is looking at his publication history and pivoting haaaard away. Book 1 was published 16 years ago and in the meantime less than half of the (planned) series has been published. That’s a big risk for any studio, even if the industry wasn’t in the weird sort of place it’s in now.
One book I would love to see filmed is The night circus by Erin Morgenstern – I even have a fantasy cast for it:
Storm Reid: Celia, daughter of Hector and an illusionist for The Night Circus
Joel Oulette: Marco, adopted pupil of the man in the grey suit, assistant to Chandresh
Michael Sheen: the man in the grey suit, leader of The Night CircusIdris Elba: Hector, a.k.a., Prospero the Enchanter, famed stage magician
Sacha Baron Cohen: Chandresh, the proprietor of The Night Circus
Chloë Grace Moretz: Isobel, fortune teller for The Night Circus
Maggie Q: Tsukiko, enchanting contortionist for The Night Circus
Lin-Manuel Miranda: Friedrick, maker of clocks, writer of letters, leader of the rêveurs
Rami Malek: Ethan, head engineer and architect for The Night Circus
Zoe Saldana: Lainie, sister to Tara, atmosphere specialist for The Night Circus
Alice Krige: Tante Padva, retired ballerina and costume designer for The Night Circus
Zoë Kravitz: Tara, sister to Tara, atmosphere specialist for The Night Circus
Roman Griffin Davis: Widget, trainer of small cats with his sister Poppet
Mckenna Grace: Poppet, trainer of small cats with her brother Widget
Evan Alex: Bailey, our young hero, who falls in love with The Night Circus
Only read the first one, not the rest – and I didn’t even know that there was an “EAgerly expected” on the list. But if we’re talking adaptations (I saw Night Circus mentioned above) here’s another suggestion: Alma Alexander’s “The Second Star” (and Adam Driver would make a GREAT Martin Peck…) Matt Ruff, who blurbed this book, thought the same thing and actually suggested Dune’s Denis Villeneuve as a great candidate to take this one on – but of course he’s BUSY right now. Still. The book last year a finalist in a number of awards) is worth an “option” look – and quite aside from that it’s worth a read…
“Lies..” would be a good one, but I also really enjoyed Lynch’s “In the Stacks” (Author’s Enhanced Edition)–that one is short and could be easily adapted…
I’d love to hear your thoughts on a TV adaptation of The Black Company series from Glen Cook. Low fantasy, rare magic, morally corrupt characters, and fun as hell.
100% agree that Gentlemen Bastards would make an amazing Netflix/Amazon show. I don’t think it could be done in a film – the books are so rich that you’d lose a lot of what makes them great in how much you’d have to cut.
I don’t see a problem with the delayed 4th book either – I have resolved to see the series as a trilogy until proven otherwise. The main story comes to a fairly solid resting point at the end of Republic of Thieves – okay so it does have a hook for the plot of the rest of the putative series, but that’s all it is. It’s not a “must be resolved” cliffhanger, it’s just a hook for more plot for if the series ever continues.
If we’re talking genre series that deserve a (TV series) adaptation, then I would recommend Newsflesh by Mira Grant. Every time I read Feed, I imagine a TV series that cold opens on a vlog of Georgia giving her, “Read what I’ve written, understand what they intend for us, for all of us and decide what to do. Alive or dead, the truth won’t rest. My name is Georgia Mason and I am begging you. Rise up while you can.” And then go to black and “X weeks earlier…”
I love these books so much, I’m not sure I want someone to try to adapt them and possibly spoil it all (Earthsea anyone?)
After GoT I don’t want another unfinished book series becoming a tv series. If I’m allowed to choose I’d like to see Melanie Rawn’s “Glass Thorns” series on tv. I haven’t given thought to who would play what parts though.
Yes please and thank you! The Gentlemen Bastards deserve a show!
“Nice bird, arsehole.”
Yes! The standout (only?) line I remember from these books, captures the tone perfectly. Would love to see these adapted for screen.
Great idea for a new column.
Jenn Lyons’ “A Chorus of Dragons” series absolutely should come to TV, it’s tailor-made for the full HBO treatment. Another great series would be Melissa Caruso’s Sword and Fire series and her follow-up series, although I am very cynical about Hollywood embracing something with two kick-ass heroines, since female-led projects still don’t get the respect they deserve. And the longest shot of all, Seth Dickinson’s Baru Cormorant series, not only female-led but full of queer characters, brutality, and just grossness–but oh, so good! Give Baru a chance, Hollywood!
I’m in the camp of those who’d rather not have an adaptation of (yet another) unfinished series.
There are countless great completed fantasy series out there; I don’t understand why you’d want to pick up one that is still being written.
I’m also quite hopeful that the remaining books will eventually be published. I’m happy to wait until this is the case.
So, no, please do NOT adapt Gentleman Bastard.
At least not yet.
Dragonlance Chronicles would be awesome if they stuck to the novels. Stopping messing with the story, you can’t make it better.
I would love to see an adaptation of VE Schwab’s Shades of Magic series (either a TV series or movie trilogy) – it already has a super cinematic feel and it would be amazing to see the different Londons brought to life on screen. Also Rainbow Rowell’s Carry On, just for the feelz (and to cast Tom Holland and Ezra Miller as Simon and Baz while they are still young enough!). Dread Nation by Justina Ireland would also make an amazing TV series.
Absolutely would 100% watch this. LLL was my favorite read of 2021 and I’ve got #2 set up to read hopefully in April. Love Scott Lynch.