The Secret of Nihm is getting another adaptation. Not remaking the animated classic, but adapting the original children’s book Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nihm.
As rodents prove surprisingly likable on the big screen, the studio [Paramount] is developing a feature version of the Newbery Medal-winning children’s book “Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH.”
Director Neil Burger (“The Illusionist”) is in talks to write the screenplay.
The new “NIMH” likely will combine live action and animation in the manner of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and other kiddie hybrids.
The Secret of Nihm by Don Bluth was one of my favourite animated films when I was younger. It was different from the other kiddie flicks and dealt with a more mature subject matter. It was the first time I saw animation that COULD be serious and opened up doors for me that I didn’t know were possible.
I am a little more encouraged that they wouldn’t be trying this as another animated feature, but very discouraged that they are trying to make it a “kiddie hybrid” and liken it to Alvin and the Chipmunks and G-Force which clearly cater specifically to a younger crowd.
My kids get bored at parts of Nihm, and mostly because it isn’t really a kiddie film, so for them to kiddie-fy the movie to be live action hybrid worries me.
Is this still going to happen? I haven’t heard any news on this past 7/29/09 – every article has this same date. It’s 2012 now… has this project been scrapped?
Thats a good question. I’m also a fan of the book and the animated film. I’ll see if I can dig up any information and let you know my findings…
Haven’t seen the animated film all the way, but it’s cool.
I’m a big fan of the original animated movie as well. It’s one of the best movies from my childhood. Up there with the Dark Crystal and a few others. I just loved the whole under ground rat civilization and how creepy and cool they were. And that awesome evil Owl.
I hope they’ll keep that theme and style with this new film and the more adult/dramatic stuff from the original as well.
You ask me, it sounds to me they don’t know exactly what direction this new movie is going to take yet. The quote says, “The new “NIMH” likely will combine live action and animation in the manner of “Alvin and the Chipmunks” and other kiddie hybrids.”
Doesn’t mean they are for sure going in that direction yet. Granted this is Hollywood we’re talking about, but I’m not going to assume just yet that they are going to make it into a ultra kiddiefied styled Alvin and the Chipmunksish film until they say it is for sure going to be that way.
They also said it will likely combine live action with CGI like other kids films. But they’ve combined CGI and live action with ALLOT of films other then kiddie ones as well. They could just be using Alvin and the Chipmunks as an example, since it is based on a children’s book.
Saw the original film for the first time ever this year. Absolutely loved it. Its scary, the animal experiments were really disturbing, the characters are awesome (the crow is a bit annoying though), and the story was amazing.
Wish I’d seen it as a kid.
Surely the author has other books they could adapt to film?
I hope two things:
– first, that the reference to “Alvin and the Chipmunks” only refers to the movie being a live action/animation hybrid, and not a reference to the style and feeling of the overall film. (Fingers crossed that they got “The Illusionist” guy because they’re aiming for a more serious tone)
– and secondly, I hope this adaptation is more like the book than the previous animated film. While I enjoyed both, I liked the science fictiony elements of the novel much more than the more fantasy-like elements of the animated film. No sword weilding, swashbuckling rats please. They can make a Redwall or Mouse Guard film for that kinda stuff. (Which they should make, by the way)
I was always disappointed that the film version replaced the scientfic elements of the novel with magical and mystical elements not present in the novel.
Maybe it’ll be different this time around.
No, actually word on the street is that theyre making a live action Biker Mice from Mars movie
Please tell me you’re kidding.
The Biker Mice from Mars were like gods to me as a youngster! A live action film could (would) be hysterically terrible. I kind of love the idea.
This was one actually told friends that would make a good remake cause as good as the original animated version was, it was real different from the original book. But I agree that ‘Kiddie-fy’ is not the way to go.
Lord forbid a studio decides to do Watership Down in a kiddie friendly form.
“to kiddie-fy the movie to be live action hybrid worries me”
Why? You’ll have the original version to enjoy still and now younger audiences will have this version to enjoy.
Why? Because I am not opposed to remakes. I am often let down by them but I am always curious about what people are going to do with them.
But to hear that this is the direction they are headed in makes me hesitant. Its aimed at kids, and I am not one.
My kids loved the previous kiddie hybrids mentioned, so it might be fine for them. Just not me.
First off, what it sounds like to me, is not that they’er kidifying it, it’s just that they’re making it a Live Action/CGI hybrid. Considering the book they based it on was already a kid’s book, shouldn’t make much of a difference. That’s just what I’m getting out of it.
I read about this yesterday and I’m a bit reserved. If they’re going to “G-Force” it, I’m afraid the animated classic will be overlooked in favor of this new adaption.
And while still a bit on the subject, perhaps the Secret of NIMH could perhaps be the focus on one of your “Forgotten Fridays” installments. That should be an interesting read.