Parsifal Mosaic

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Today July 30

Ron Howard to Direct Robert Ludlum's Parsifal Mosaic

In February we wrote about how Universal was fast-tracking their adaptation of "The Parsifal Mosaic," another spy novel from Bourne author Robert Ludlum. Variety announces that Ron Howard will direct the movie, with a script being written by David Self (The Haunting, Thirteen Days, Road to Perdition, The Wolf Man). Imagine Entertainment’s Brian Grazer, who has produced almost every single Ron Howard movie to date, will produce The Parsifal Mosaic. Coming off of Angels & Demons, Howard is also attached to direct The Strange Adventures of H.P. Lovecraft, The Originals, The Emperor's Children, and other projects.

"The Parsifal Mosaic", published in 1982, is an espionage thriller about CIA agent Michael Havelock. At the beginning of the novel he believes he has just witnessed the execution of his partner and the love of his life, Jenna Karas, who had been marked for execution because she had been proved to be a KGB double agent. He retires, but sees her alive at a train station and attempts to find her and unravel a conspiracy. Soon, the agents become involved in an effort to track down the Parsifal, a shadowy figure behind a blackmail scheme. This seems like a great project for Howard to direct - I'm looking forward to seeing him bring this to life.

Dec 13

For all you Ludlum fans:

It’s been a busy time for Robert Ludlum watchers these last few days. Not one, not two, not three, not four but five upcoming films to be based, one way or another, on his books have had some fresh light shed upon them. (John Grisham watchers should just pack up their tents; Tom Clancy watchers will probably see some action before long)

Film one. Michael Brandt and Derek Haas have scripted an adaptation of The Matarese Circle. Tom Cruise and Denzel Washington have been tapped to star and David Cronenberg is lining up a nice long sit in the canvas seat. We knew about Michael, Derek, David and Denzel, but the fresh addition of the smiling one seems to suggest big progress is being made. Variety tell us that the sequel novel The Matarese Countdown was snapped up in the same rights swoop - let’s skip to the end and call that film five.

Film two. Captivate Entertainment are a freshly structured organization designed to handle all big screen deals for Ludlum books and they’ve established a general deal with Universal. According to Variety, the studio have now started to make a move on the rights to The Parsifal Mosaic and seem set to put it on the inside lane to the box office. Interesting news this, in a way that leads us to film three…

Film three is the 4th Bourne Film. Late last year, Frank Marshall told Coming Soon that the next Bourne would be derived from The Parsifal Mosaic. Obviously, that’s not the plan any longer and the next Bourne, as per the Variety link back up there, is now being developed from an original idea.

Film four is The Sigma Protocol. Art Marcum and Matt Holloway were given the writing gig last year (ahead of their tenure on the Highlander remake train), and that same Variety link (zzzzz) lets us know that work continues apace.

And that’s your lot. There are, however, over 20 more Robert Ludlum works to be optioned so, by all signs, we’ll be reading that name an awful lot more in the coming months and years.

Dec 7

Producer Frank Marshall revealed today at The Curious Case of Benjamin Button where the next "Bourne" adventure might be headed, citing one of Robert Ludlum's books, "The Parsifal Mosaic" as potential source material.

Q: What's happening with "Bourne" now that you have access to the Robert Ludlum library?

Frank Marshall: Well, that's the good news. We now have access to all the Ludlum story ideas. We're going to make the fourth movie from them.

Q: And Matt's signed on?

Marshall: No, the only people signed on right now is George Nolfi, the writer, and me. We have to get a good script and then, hopefully, Matt will follow.

Q: Would this come at all from the new book, "The Bourne Betrayal"?

Marshall: No, the "Bourne Betrayal" was written by a friend of Ludlum's.... It had nothing to do with us.... We want to stay true to the original character.

Q: Any ideas for a "Bourne" title?

Marshall: Well, there's a lot of jokes. "Bourne Again," "Bourne Yesterday," "Bourne Free," "Bourne on the Fourth." I actually want to do that. Call it that and release the movie on the fourth.

Q: Would you want to do a straight adaptation from one of the novels?

Marshall: Actually, there is. "The Parsifal Mosaic" is one that we like.

"The Parsifal Mosiac," not a "Bourne" adventure as a novel, deals with a U.S. spy who falls in love with another spy who is revealed to be a double agent just before her death. When he retires from the business, though, the spy learns that she may still be alive and sets out to learn the truth.

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