Hogfather? Discworld?! SKY ONE SHOW?!

[MDK]

Sky One and RHI Entertainment to bring Terry Pratchett’s HOGFATHER to the screen

[tx: Sky One, Christmas 2006.]

· Terry Pratchett’s best-seller to be a 2 x 120” film · David Jason to play role of Albert · World’s first live-action / CGI Discworld film · Production company the Mob Film Company commence filming in Romania

Sky One and RHI Entertainment are today delighted to announce the commission of Terry Pratchett’s worldwide best-selling fantasy fiction, HOGFATHER. The project marks the first ever live action / CGI film of Discworld and its characters, and the 2 x 120” HD film airs on Sky One in Christmas 2006. RHI Entertainment have secured the international distribution rights.

Terry Pratchett has sold over 41m books worldwide and is the UK’s second most popular contemporary author based on book sales, selling 2.5m a year (3% of the total book trade). The British author’s Discworld books are translated into 35 languages and he has won numerous prestigious literary awards, was named an Officer of the British Empire for services to literature and commands a huge fan base across the globe.

Terry Pratchett said: “All of my Christmases have come at once.”

David Jason (Only Fools and Horses, A Touch of Frost) has been confirmed for the key role of Albert in the film and further high quality casting will be announced over the next few months.

David Jason said: “I am thrilled to be taking part in HOGFATHER – I am a huge fan of Terry Pratchett’s books and to play the part of Albert is going to be great fun.”

Elaine Pyke, Sky One’s Drama Commissioner said: “Having been in development for nearly a year, I am thrilled to announce this two part commission with RHI Entertainment for the first live-action adaptation of a Discworld book. Terry Pratchett is one of the most successful authors or our time and his fantasy fiction will strike a chord with Sky One viewers. With the award-winning Mob Film Company producing the series and The Moving Picture Company producing the computer generated effects, HOGFATHER is sure to serve up a visual feast this Christmas.”

Robert Halmi Junior, President RHI Entertainment, said "We are delighted to be entering into this deal with Sky and Mob to bring this fantastic Terry Pratchett novel to a global television audience. We hope to continue to build our presence in the UK by producing more large event mini-series that utilises UK talent and acclaimed authors.”

HOGFATHER is set on the semi-medieval but strangely familiar Discworld. And the Hogfather (you know, the jolly fat man) who delivers presents to the kiddies at Christmas at the midwinter festival of Hogswatch has gone missing. But it’s vital that all the presents are delivered, otherwise the sun won’t rise tomorrow. However, there is another supernatural entity who can be everywhere at once and, most importantly, knows where everybody lives. He is Death, but with a false beard and a few cushions that he reckons might just work.

And while he is engaged in the mysteries of climbing down chimneys and drinking sherry, it’s up to his granddaughter, Susan to find out what has happened to the real Hogfather. It’s the dark time of the year. There are monsters afoot. And some of them look just like us. HO HO HO. You’d better watch out…

HOGFATHER is adapted for the screen and directed by Vadim Jean (Leon the Pig Farmer) and produced by Rod Brown (Dream Team, Goal) and Ian Sharples (The Virgin of Liverpool} for the Mob Film Company. Elaine Pyke (Dream Team, Hex) executive produces for Sky One and Robert Halmi Sr (Dinotopia) is the executive producer for RHI Entertainment.

HOGFATHER is set to transmit on Sky One at Christmas 2006.

Credit - Sky.com

I am excited about this, it could be very good. I'm also happy that one of my favourite characters, Death, will be playing a big part in this. I can't remember if my all time fave person, Vimes, is in this one.

But yeah, so at least Kaney, Stoke (I think) and myself will be pleased about this.

EDIT - Okay, it is from like the start of the year but I didn't fucking know about this >_>

Edited August 9, 2006 by Myked

[PkmnTrainerJ]

My mouth slowly opened further and further and further reading this.

That's just...

Amazing.

Hogfather should make a brilliant TV transition and David Jason is an excellent choice for Albert.

I am concerned about who they choose for everyone else.

EDIT: Terry Pratchet is playing the Toymaker!

Edited August 9, 2006 by Sora

[-A-]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooo

I've been dreaming of a live action Discworld for years and it's come too early for me to direct Chances of securing role as the Patrician slim for another 10 years or so too - even worse.

[Farmer Reil]

I've heard that Ian Richardson (of House of Cards, as well as 'that guy that said "Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?" in that mustard advert' fame) has been cast as the voice of Death. Which is annoying, because I always imagined Bill Bailey or Stephen Fry as the voice of Death.

Edited August 9, 2006 by TheReilDeal

[PkmnTrainerJ]

Joss Ackland - Mustrum Ridcully

Dominic Borrelli - Grotto Hogfather

John Boswall - The Chair of Indefinite Studies

Craig Conway - Chicken

David Decio - Unseen University student wizard

Michelle Dockery - Susan (Death's daughter)

John Franklyn-Robbins - The Dean

Peter Guinness - Medium Dave

Geoffrey Hutchings - Mr. Brown

David Jason - Albert

Stephen Marcus - Banjo

Sinead Matthews - Violet The Tooth Fairy

Rhodri Meilier - Bilious

Neil Pearson - The Raven (voice)

Nigel Planer - Mr. Sydeney

Tim Plester - The Tooth Guard

Robert Portal - Mr. Gaiter

Terry Pratchett - The Toy Maker

Ian Richardson - Death (voice)

Shend - The Hogfather

Marnix Van Den Broeke - Death

David Warner - Lord Downey

Marc Warren - Mr. TeaTime (Tea-ah-time-uh)

Arthur White - Ernie The Cart Driver

Kevin Wickenden - ???

Deborah Winckles - Mrs. Gaiter

[Dyko]

This is absolutely awesome.

I'd imagine there's a slim chance of it ever airing here, but I'm sure there are "other means" of viewing this once it is out.

My fiancee got me into Pratchett by letting me borrow Sourcery when we first started seeing eachother, and has finally calmed down now that I've bought all of his books, and will no longer be putting in mass orders to get the right ones delivered in time for me to finished whichever I am working on currently.

I've always pictured Terry Gilliam as being perfect for a film adaptation of any of the discworld books. Also, personally, I imagine either John Cleese or Billy Connoley as the perfect Ridcully.

Has anyone seen either of the animated Discworld movies that have been released or played either of the PS1 games? I am curious about those...

[ClaRK! Kent]

This was one of the last ones I really read, after that I maybe read Jingo and Monstrous Regiment then kinda lost touch with the series. This news makes me very happy, and reminds me of reading like a hundred pages of the books before bed pretty much every night between the ages of 11 and 14ish.

Mr Teatime = RATINGZ

Marc Warren is an interesting choice for him, though. I've always seen Teatime as a wiry, weasel-like man. I'd have been perfect for the role, actually.

Everytime I decide that my ambitions as an actor include getting a part in a movie of any book/event/person that I love, it ends up going into production a few months later. I call fucking shenanigans.

First Keith Richards, then Bob Dylan, now this.

But still, yay for the movie and all.

[Kaney]

I never really liked Hogfather to be honest, but it's been a while since I read it so I might give it another go soon. I'm excited for this as well, I've loved the Discworld series right from the Colour Of Magic, and I think I've read every book in the series at least twice, including the crappy Amazing Horace one and the Wee Free Men ones. I'll need to tape/aquire from other legal means this film when it's shown because knowing my luck I'll probably not get to watch it

I've heard that Ian Richardson (of House of Cards, as well as 'that guy that said "Pardon me, do you have any Grey Poupon?" in that mustard advert' fame) has been cast as the voice of Death. Which is annoying, because I always imagined Bill Bailey or Stephen Fry as the voice of Death.

Fuck him. Christopher Lee IS Death. He provided the voice for Death in both the animated films, and he's fucking perfect for the role. As I exclaimed to Myke a while back, I'd seen Wyrd Sisters a billion times and only just realised it was him voicing Death.

Has anyone seen either of the animated Discworld movies that have been released or played either of the PS1 games? I am curious about those...

I have Wyrd Sisters on DVD, and it's the only one I've ever seen in real life. Through the magic of the internet I found out that there's a Soul Music DVD as well, which I've always been meaning to pick up. I've played the first Discworld game and beaten it, as far as I can remember it's very loosely based on Guards! Guards! from Rincewinds perspective. Never played the sequel, but I do have Discworld Noir, which was one big long markout moment >_>

[PkmnTrainerJ]

Get Discworld II: Missing, Presumed...?

It is brilliant and made me love Luggage and Rincewind as characters.

Then Samuel Vimes and Carrot came along and

Edited August 9, 2006 by Sora

[Skummy]

I heard about this a few months back and was a bit annoyed, as I always imagined David Jason as Vimes, and Albert as fairly scrawny, but I reckon he could pull it off pretty well.

Just as long as Sky One don't go and flux it up like they did with Dinotopia, it should be good. The only real problem is that Hogfather relies quite a bit on pre-existing knowledge of Discworld, and it'll be interesting to see how much is altered to make it cater to viewers who aren't familiar with the series.