Novel Franchises Built Around Black Characters That Could Be Film Franchises (Other Than 'Alex Cross')

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• Tamara | October 24, 2012 9:22 PMReply

  I can't think of franchises save for Mosley and Octavia and their works featuring same characters. I would add though that while I'd love to see a film adaptation of "White Boy Shuffle" I think a television series of Paul Beatty's, Gunnar Kaufman would be cool to watch; maybe something along the lines of an "Everybody Hates Chris" but more acerbic. Also, Toni Morrison. I'd love a Sula mini-series or a late-night Zane-esque but better Sula Chronicles. That character was so complex for me. In keeping with the old writers, I think pulling a series out of Zora Neale Hurston's works or even J. California Cooper's work would fit well for television or cable. And then because "Crossing the Mangrove" is a favorite tale by Maryse Conde, I think creating a film, a la "The Mighty Quinn" could work...although with that tale in particular, it'd be like having an Easy Rawlins in Guadaloupe. LOL. Finally, I cannot say it enough, L.A. Banks' Vampire Huntress novels are serial and would work with a movie trilogy or mini-series or even a show. And vamps and werewolves and fairytales and the like are all the rage right now, so.......Oprah, get on that ASAP, hear? Oh! One more. Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child write mystery novels that are like a cross between Sherlock Holmes and Indiana Jones. They "star" a character by the name of Agosta, a detective for NYPD and his 'counterpart' on most cases is a mysterious FBI agent by the name of Penderghast. Penderghast hails from New Orleans............................... .............................though he's described as a white male. Still, he could be "transformed" and this series of books could definitely become blockbuster hits. Or a television series. AND Zulu by Caryl Ferey... this novel after its adaptation to film releases (and if it garners success) could definitely be prequelized or sequelized. LOTS of great characters who we barely just scratch the surface in the novel. Okay, I think I'm done now :)

• Tamara | October 28, 2012 5:10 PM

  I'm only 3 books deep for Preston/Child books (out of order reading) and I've read one Preston and two Child novels separately...not familiar with the Jack Reacher character, but I'll look to it.

• Miles Ellison | October 25, 2012 9:20 PM

  Lee Child fans should go berserk. The casting of Tom Cruise in that role is utterly ridiculous.

• Donella | October 25, 2012 6:54 PM

  Yes, Mosley and Octavia top my list too. I'd like to see Mosley's Futureland done as a series since the book is cyberpunk written as connecting short stories. I love Preston and Child as well and I got worried since they both have two White leads. Agosta is Italian, but Pendergast has been so thoroughly described as paler than pale--almost silver, he's so pale--that fans of the book would be up in arms if his appearance strayed from the original description. I'm also a Lee Child fan and let me tell you, fans have gone berserk (not in a good way) over the casting of Tom Cruise as Jack Reacher.

• Monice Mitchell Simms | October 23, 2012 10:42 PMReply

  @Donella and @Santana, I agree with both of your suggestions -- The Blanche series and anything by Octavia Butler. Absolutely.

• Miles Ellison | October 23, 2012 10:26 PMReply

  It's interesting how much easier it is to make films out of James Patterson's motel book carousel hackery with Tyler Perry as the star than it is to make films based on good books with real actors.

• Ivory Jeff Clinton | October 23, 2012 10:20 PMReply

  RM Johnson's The Harris Men & The Harris Family would make great films too in the hands of the right people. - https://twitter.com/IvoryJeff/status/260928464272637953

• ALM | October 23, 2012 8:47 PMReply

  The "Nappily Ever After" series of novels were in production at some point with Halle Berry attached to star. I believe she even shaved her head at some point for the movie. I just checked her IMDB page, and there is no mention of the project.

• Donella | October 23, 2012 4:07 PMReply

  The Blanche series by Barbara Neeley. Patternist series by Octavia Butler.

• Donella | October 23, 2012 4:35 PM

  And Parable series by Octavia Butler.

• HarveyDent322 | October 23, 2012 3:41 PMReply

  I always saw Forrest Whitaker as Leonid McGill but if there's a series coming from the EVIL series then I'll be happy to watch it.
  
  Another franchise I wouldn't mind seeing one day is Chester Himes' HARLEM CYCLE about Coffin Ed and Gravedigger Jones.

• Santana | October 23, 2012 2:35 PMReply

  Any book series written by Octavia Butler!

• Wanett | October 23, 2012 1:27 PMReply

  I actually spent most of yesterday looking up AA historical fiction on Goodreads. There was a lot that interested me, but only one series (the Sugar series by Bernice L. McFadden). There is a young adult series by the same author that wrote the Percy Jackson books called The Kane Chronicles which follows biracial siblings (I wonder who could be cast here *wink*) on their journeys. Their father is an Egyptologist and they discover, of course, that the family is part of an ancient organization. I think it would be great for our kids to see something like that on the big screen. But the PJ movie really stunk, so I won't hold my breath.

• Santana | October 23, 2012 4:16 PM

  They really drop the ball on the PJ movie. The author is Rick Riordan. My son read the series and loved it! We were soooo looking forward to the movie. @Geneva Girl hit the nail on the head! The actors were wayyy to old and I wasn't happy with the Brandon T Jackson role. Anyhoo it looks as if they didn't care b/c the next book "Sea of Monsters" is set to come out next year. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1854564/. Also looks like Yvette Nicole Brown (best known for her role in the show Community) has a role. I hope this one is better.

• Geneva Girl | October 23, 2012 2:39 PM

  I didn't realize that the Kane Chronicles are about bi-racial kids. I'll have a look. My daughter enjoyed hearing the audiobook of Percy Jackson; she might like this series as well. Thanks. The problem with the PJ movie is that the actors were too old. Percy Jackson was a young teenager in the book not a 20-something man.

• Aaron | October 23, 2012 12:57 PMReply

  I'm still hoping Denzel will one day reprise his role as Easy Rawlins, and depending on which book they'd adapt, a return of Don as Mouse.