I’ve been getting a number of enquiries, since press releases have started appearing about the movie production of OUTLANDER—excited folk asking “Is it true?” “When?” and (I hope you’ll pardon a brief roll of the eyes here), “Who would you cast?” (I couldn’t begin to guess how many thousands of times I’ve been asked that over the last twenty years.)
It’s very early days as yet, but I’ll answer what I can.
Yes, Essential Productions is developing OUTLANDER as a “major motion picture.” (What that means is that they want to make a two-to-two-and-a-half hour feature film.)
And yes, Randall Wallace (the talented gentleman who wrote both BRAVEHEART and PEARL HARBOR—hey, ancient Scots and WWII, how about that?) is writing the script.
No, I have absolutely nothing to say about the casting of the movie. The production people do occasionally ask me what I think of this or that person, but this is simple politeness on their part.
No, I have no control whatever regarding the script.
No, I really don’t want to have anything personal to do with the development of the movie.
Why not? Well, two major reasons (putting aside the fact that producers seldom want the original writer sticking his or her oar in and causing trouble):
1. I have books to write and a family to be with. I can’t be hopping planes every other week or dropping everything else at a moment’s notice to do script adjustments. (I do know that all movie scripts go through many (many, many) iterations, rewrites, etc. in the process of development and filming.) That kind of thing eats your time and sucks your soul, and to no good end.
2. For nearly twenty years now, people have been saying to me, “Oh! I’m dying to see the movie of your books! But I want it to be just like it is in the book!” To which the only possible reply is, “Yeah? Which forty pages do you want to see?”
Obviously, a book of the size and complexity of OUTLANDER won’t fit into a two-hour movie. But it might be possible for a good movie based on the book to exist.
Adaptations can be either good or bad—they’re seldom indifferent—but a skilful adaptation is just as much a feat of skill as is writing an original book or script.
Yes, I could adapt the book myself. With the net result that even if a) no one then messed with the script (and they would; that’s how film works), and b) the end result was wonderful (odds of about 900:1)—ten million people would still email me about, “But how could you leave out that scene?” Or “But why did you change this character?” Or “But you left out my favorite line in the whole book!“
I’d really rather write a new novel.
Now, do bear in mind a couple of things here:
1. Essential Productions have an option on the book. This means that they paid us a modest amount of money and we gave them a span of time, in which they can do anything they want to, in order to put together the necessary financing and logistics to make a movie (that includes hiring a scriptwriter).
We (my agents and I) get a lot of option requests. We decided to grant Essential Productions an option because we like them, we think they understand the book and its central characters, and insofar as such a thing is possible, we trust them to do their best to make it a great movie.
But it is an option.
2. Not all movies that are optioned actually get made. Even movies that have excellent scripts, A-list directors and recognizable stars don’t always get made. Naturally, we hope this one will, because we do like the EP people and think that of all the producers who’ve approached us about the film rights, they have the best chance of succeeding in making a great movie.
But we’ll all have to wait and see what happens next.
And that’s all I can tell you.
Le meas,
–Diana
P.S. Well, I can also tell you that a) yes, Gerard Butler is a fine-looking specimen of Scottish manhood, even if he is a Lowlander, but b) I think he might have difficulty playing a 22-year-old virgin; c) Keira Knightley would probably make an excellent Claire (she has the accent and the capacity for sarcasm), if she gained forty pounds, but d) James McAvoy is probably a wonderful actor, but he’s only 5’7″, for heaven’s sake. (Mind, none of the production people has mentioned any of these actors to me as serious casting prospects, either.)
It is very difficult to make a movie out of such long story, that if you miss any part of it won’t be the same.
It needs a genius and love of the books, of the kind that made Lord of the Rings!
Hope you’ll get it.
a movie!
wonder if the moviemakers would consider Robert Pattinson ?
Edward from the Twilight movie-
i was just thinking ,maybe he could be Jamie?
A movie? It sounds interesting, although it might be really difficult to adapt, since the book is so big, with so many lovely details. Something will have to be left out.
But it would be great to see! It’s a pity Gerard Butler is older than Jamie.
I pity the casting director on this movie. Casting Jamie is going to be verrrrra difficult. You want someone who can act, look the part and appeal to a wide range of people. Not to old, not to young, not to pretty, not to short and can carry off an Scottish accent. You want someone who has “chemistry” with the lead actress. In other words you want the real Jamie (who only exist in each of our imaginations). Plus the fact some film studios demand a “star” that will make money.
I wanted to see The Duchess. In this area it ended up in an Art House theater(even with Keira Knightley in it). Still, all this being said, I really would like this movie to be made. I just want a very good movie BASED on the book.
Wow. You seem very calm about letting someone else muddle with your (excellent) writing. Is this something born completely out of self-preservation, or does it take maturity as a writer to “let go”?
I still cringe when ever I hear about how someone has botched some of my training curriculum. Do you think it is different with fiction or novels that require a reader to bring it alive in their own minds and therefore have an individual “vision” of the story?
I am torn on whether I want to see a movie or not. I don’t think Hollywood would do Outlander justice at all. Think “Gone With the Wind”. The movie was horrible; I hated it. Most Stephen King movies are butchered variations of the books. The only large novel that has been done correctly (that I have seen) is “Lonesome Dove” by Larry McMurtry. It rocked!! I have actually been thinking that Outlander should become a TV series. There is enough going on in the books that we could have several seasons before tiring of it.
And it makes me nervous that you have given up all rights to it for the movie. I agree that being with your family is more important, but Hollywood loves to take a vague idea and totally redo it. I don’t think this will end well. Can I be in on it?
SOMEONE needs to censor those people!
I’m sure if anything ever comes of it, the movie will be fine. Everybody knows the books are more important anyway. Can’t wait for the new one! Just re-read all the others again. I loved “A Breath of Snow and Ashes.” So beautiful. Thanks!
ok so by now we are on to the sequels, and we think, janey and i, that christian bale would be smoldering hot with red locks and his towering but gentle and very compelling brawn. pair him with kate winslet. dye her hair.
omg.
we’re just sayin..
Look, guys. I haven’t “given up all rights” (I still _own_ the movie rights, until the option is exercised, which means they pay me a good deal more money), nor am I indifferent to what happens. But I’ve done film options for a long time now; I know a) what the odds are of a movie actually being made (low), and b) the odds of the original writer’s being able to “control” anything whatever (infinitesimal).
Not being either self-destructive or an idiot, I don’t choose to try to be “hands on,” in the event that this does progress beyond an option.
Nor did I say “Oh, I want to spend more time with my family.” I _said_, “I’d rather (spend my limited time and energy) write(ing) a new novel.” The family’s always the first priority, no matter what I’m doing.
But my time is much, much better spent in writing novels–over which I have absolute control, thanks very much [g]–than calling up movie producers and screaming, “How could you _do_ this?!?”
Look. I know a lot of people in both the publishing and the film industry. I don’t know one single writer who’s thrilled with a movie made of his or her book, with the exception of John Irving, who was so displeased with what happened to OWEN MEANY (he exercised his contractual right to make them change the name of the film. I know this; his wife told me so over dinner at his house) that he decided that _he’d_ write the script next time.
So he did. It took him fourteen years. Four separate producers. (He wrote a book about the process. I read it.) Was the movie the same as the book? Nope. All kinds of things had to be changed, left out, characters altered or combined, etc.–because a movie is a different medium.
Now, the movie was a _success_–he won an Oscar for the screenplay. Was it worth the time and energy and the other novels he might have written in the meantime? You’d have to ask him that, I reckon.
Did a lot of the people who loved the book write to berate him for changing things? I’ll take money on it that they did.
Me, I’m going to keep out of it. Bar JK Rowling (and just go look at the frothing at the mouth there is about the Harry Potter movies–over which she _did_ keep “control”), an original author has ZERO power actually to affect anything in a movie production.
“Input,” yes. As I say, the production people are very polite about asking my opinions, and I’m happy to give them–but there’s no illusion on anyone’s part that I have “control” over anything.
Thank you so much Diana, for sharing all of this and your perspective on it. I’m with those that wish we could see the whole series as a mini-series, but I’ll still buy a ticket to see it in the theatre!
I’ve always had Gerry as the ‘Jamie in my head’. I understand the hair thing, though his hair had a reddish tint in Attila, I think he could pull it off. I also thought of Kevin McKidd, but the age issue is still a factor there, too. Even my mother, who has only read Outlander thus far, said Gerry doesn’t have the height for that role. It probably will indeed need to be an unknown.
I saw a suggestion on a message board somewhere that Lena Headey (from ’300′) be cast in the role of Claire. I think she’d be fantastic!
~Jenn~
Hello Diana,
Thank you for sharing this information with us.
If I was casting an Outlander film I would use two relatively unknown actors in the lead roles of Jamie and Claire. The money saved on salaries for stars could be used to enhance producrion values for costumes, weapons and location shooting, and script writing. I would also use strong character actors in the supporting roles. I would hope to convince a studio to let me bring the film in at a 3-3.5 hr. length, anything shorter would not do justice to the novel.
I still think Outlander its sequels would work better as miniseries’ especially if they did them in 10-12 hour lengths.
Scott
I agree with Scott…despite my enthusiasm about the Christian Bale/Kate Winslett pairing…I think that using any well known actors for Claire & Jamie would be a mistake. Diana, your characters are so strong that their portrayals could be the making of very lucky unknowns. As for the film, this could be the beginning of a very long series of films…with complicated casting, over many many years…keeping my fingers crossed. That having been said, I am with you, lady, you just keep on writing and let the Hollywood types do their thing. You are an inspiration to me as a wannabe writer, your sense of humor has buoyed me through some hard times, and I've learned a lot from your podcasts and your prose and the generosity of your spirit as reflected in Claire's inner dialogue. Just take good care of yourself(diet coke and milky way bars, even dark ones, do not a good breakfast make) because I and all the people I have turned on to your books are counting on you to be around for a long time.
I read this post, and the comments with interest. But, I guess I have a “wait and see” attitude about an Outlander movie. I know that Anne McCaffrey’s PERN books have been optioned numerous times over the past 40 years, and still…no movie.
So, if Outlander actually makes it to the screen, fine. If not, fine. Options are great, but I’m not going to get excited until it’s IN production.
Except, Jamie is MY DH and I “am” Claire–in my head anyway. And, we are WAY to old to be cast in any old movie! LOL
Thank you, Diana, for the update. It’s exciting news, even if it’s still in the option stage.
Can’t wait to read Echo.
I think it would be interesting to see the interpretation of a good scriptwriter/director combination. Of course, I think I’d enjoy a cast of little-to-unknown actors…It would be really, really difficult to separate my mental images of Claire, Jamie, et. al. from other roles of the actors.
And, honestly, the only semi-prominent role I can see Kiera Knightly as would be someone like Leoghaire, anway.
Dear Diana,
I am so please to see your priorities remain true! The Outlander movie will no doubt be a lovely (or not so lovely) distraction if it is released to the big screen. It is not, however, what I am waiting for. I (and so many like me) are waiting anxiously and patiently for Echo and the weekend after Echo is released we will be waiting anxiously and patiently for the next installment in the Jamie and Claire Epic. (And now that I think of it, the other amazing novels that are waiting in line once the Jamie and Claire epic concludes.)
No movie can replace a good book. Thank you for keeping your nose to the grind doing what we love best … writing breathtaking novels that inspire and provide a great escape!!!
Take Care,
Jewell
Hey Diana and to all the others in this ‘thread’.
I just want to share my opinion about Jamie and Gerry Butler with you all.
When I first read Outlander, I always pictured Gerry as Jamie. The funny thing is, that I didnt know who Gerry was at this point. So Jamie already looked like Gerry when I didnt even know that he exists. Thats why Gerry IS my personal Jamie. Not just because of his looks (ok, hes not 100% the Jamie described in the books) but after having watched hundrets and thousands of interviews etc with Gerry I knew definately that he is like Jamie is.
).
Same kind of Humour, same charisma, same sparkle in the eyes, the same strenght…phew, I could go on and on ;)(Well, Ive got to say, thats only MY opinion, so dont bash me please
The other thing is that I think that Gerry couldnt have played the young Jamie when he was in his twenties. He didnt had this kind of ‘wiseness’ or ‘expierience of life’ in his eyes/face, like Jamie might have had.
Thats also why I cant imagine a 23 year old playing the young Jamie, because Jamie went through so much in his life that sure marked him (well, it DID actually, but not only his back).
I think he needs to look a bit mature.
And the last thing is that Gerry does not really look like 39. And he can do so much with his face, I mean, watch some of his movies, he ALWAYS looks different. And actually, in PS I love you there was a sequence where he played a 24/25 year old one. So he is definately able to do this.IMO
But even if Gerry wont play Jamie, Im already looking forward to the movie, the pictures of the beautiful landscape, the costumes, the food, the castles and cottages…
cheers!
The beauty of a movie version of Outlander is that it will bring the story to those who haven’t yet discovered the amazing characters and storytelling of Diana Gabaldon. This cannot be a bad thing.
I am thinking the producers of a movie would do their best to represent the character descriptions in the original books, because there is such a huge and loyal fan base who will want to see the film as well.
I personally don’t care what they put in or leave out, I just want to see the characters come off the pages.
If you look at other major movie series, like harry potter and lord of the rings and such, of course they had to leave things out and whatnot. But the joy of these movies is not an exact play-by-play, it’s seeing your imagination come to life. That is all I ask for.
And on the Keira Knightly subject, god I hope they don’t hire her for Claire. Claire needs to be an unknown actress. Keira does great, but she does a lot. I think it would really ruin the reality.
Diana- are you going to make an appearance in the movie, ala Stephen King? And if you did, what character would you play?
Just wondering.
Dear Sunflowerfairy–
That thought hadn’t occurred to me. [g] Reckon I’ll wait and see how things go before I decide.