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There have been all kinds of Discworld adaptations over the years, from the animated movies by Cosgrove Hall in the 1990s to the various live-action TV movies and series, yet none of them have been amazing successes. The most recent attempt, the BBC's controversial adaptation of the Night Watch novels, was critically panned for taking too many arbitrary liberties with the setting. Other adaptations have had their own high points and flaws.

There is one thread that explains why none of these adaptations have achieved any lasting success: none of them have quite landed on the tone that makes the original novels so timelessly endearing, even if the Discworld reading order is a little complicated. Emulating Terry Pratchett's unique mix of satire, slapstick, and parable requires an emotional intelligence that even the best adaptations have lacked.

Most Discworld Adaptations Almost Get It Right (But They're Missing Something) Various...

At first glance, Sleeping Beauty seems among the Disney Princess films least likely to live up to the modern era of feminist storytelling. The titular character, Princess Aurora, has so little agency in the film that falling into a cursed sleep seems like a continuation of her early years. Aurora never gets a chance to choose her own destiny. So how could anyone make a case for this as a feminist film?

The answer to that, dear readers, is that the film isn’t about Princess Aurora at all. The film isn’t about supposed hero Prince Philip. It’s about an epic struggle between good fairies and an evil one. The Disney version of Sleeping Beauty is about a political divide in the world of fairies: those that bestow their blessings on humanity, and those who consort with monsters. And all of the major players in this struggle are women.

Terry Pratchett’s comic fantasy series “Discworld” is coming to screen.

Narrativia, the production company launched by Pratchett in 2012, has struck an exclusive development deal with Motive Pictures and Endeavor Content for a series of TV adaptations. It is not yet known which of the “Discworld” books will be adapted initially.

The “Discworld” series of novels has sold more than 100 million copies globally, and the adaptations are to remain “absolutely faithful” to Pratchett’s original works.

The deal was struck by Rob Wilkins of Narrativia and Simon Maxwell of Motive Pictures, with Endeavor Content. Executive producers for Motive Pictures will be Maxwell and Sam Lavender, while Endeavor Content is handling worldwide sales.

Pratchett died in 2015, having completed more than 40 “Discworld” novels. The series’ final book was completed in the summer of 2014. Pratchett once said of the series, “The nature of ‘Discworld’ gave me the opportunity to do all kinds of things,...

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina introduces us to its dark version of Hogwarts in a compelling outing.

This Chilling Adventures of Sabrina review contains spoilers. We have a spoiler-free review of the entire first season here.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Episode 4

"Don't show them you're scared or they'll kill you"

The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina comic is set in the 1960s, and it's easy to forget that the series isn't as well. Apart from the occasional appearance of modern technology, it could very easily be set in an earlier time. Greendale is a community tethered to its own past, and this anarchronistic aesthetic has permeated the entire town. Yet despite all of the backward-glancing that seems to separate the town's residents from truly living in the present, thematically this is a program very interested in being invested in the right now.

We've already touched upon the parallels between the Devil and...

It's Sabrina's 16th birthday and she must make a choice that will carve out her future's path on Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Episode 2.

This Chilling Adventures of Sabrina review contains spoilers. We have a spoiler-free review of the entire first season here.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina Episode 2

"My name is Sabrina Spellman, and I will not sign it away"

This lengthy episode has the unenviable task of covering not only Sabrina's Dark Baptism, but her attempts to sever her ties with the mortal world as she preprares to embrace her magical future.

Naturally, things don't quite go to plan.

Picking up immediately where the pilot left off, Sabrina addresses her concerns with Father Blackwood. Richard Coyne is exceptionally great in these scenes, delivering lines like "free choice child, that's the bedrock on which our church is built" with such believable charm that you can't help but believe him -- even...

Chris Cummins Oct 26, 2018

We examine the last episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and what it means for the show's next season.

This article contains major Chilling Adventures of Sabrina spoilers.

When we last see Sabrina Spellman, she is walking through the Academy of Unseen Arts with new BFFs the Wyrd Sisters by her side. Her face, completely devoid of the light and humanity that has defined it this entire season, gives Nick and uncharacteristic wink in a moment that feels like it was purloined from Mean Girls.

Is the Sabrina we love gone forever? Well, obviously no. But man, it sure feels that way right now.

After Ms. Wardwell (aka Madame Satan) manipulated Sabrina into signing her name in Satan's book, our young heroine was forced to finally choose between her witch and mortal sides in order to save the entire Greendale. But, as Zelda warned her earlier this season,...

Juliette Harrisson Aug 1, 2017

Looking to revisit the Discworld novels or try them for the first time? Here are some suggested routes through...

There’s a well-known question among fans of the late, great Sir Terry Pratchett’s forty-one Discworld novels – which one do you recommend to friends you’re encouraging to try the series? You’ll hear a number of different answers – and if your friend enjoys that first book, there’ll be a few different options for how to proceed with the rest of the series as well. Today, we’d like to be that Discworld-reading friend, and offer a few different recommendations for ways to get into this huge but incredibly rewarding series, or routes for a re-read for longtime fans.

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Based on the middle book in J.K. Rowling's series, "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire" was a pivotal film in many ways. Released 10 years ago this week (on November 18, 2005), "Goblet" marked the first time Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) saw one of his friends die, the first time Voldemort (Ralph Fiennes) appeared in the flesh, and the first time we saw the young heroes of Hogwarts as hormonal teenagers.

As often as you've watched "Goblet of Fire," there's a lot you still may not know about it -- from the surprising controversy over the all-star band at the Yule Ball, to the Easter eggs that less-than-sharp-eyed Muggle viewers may have missed. So dip into the Pensieve and learn the secrets of "Goblet of Fire."1. Screenwriter Steve Kloves and the producers initially considered making Rowling's 734-page book into two films. Since they decided instead to condense it into a single 2.5 hour movie,...

Sir Terry Pratchett, the British fantasy author, has died after eight years battling Alzheimer’s Disease. He was 66.

The news of his passing was announced by Transworld Publishers, whose managing director Larry Finlay described the prolific author as “one of [the world’s] brightest, sharpest minds.” He went on to say:

“In over 70 books, Terry enriched the planet like few before him. As all who read him know, Discworld was his vehicle to satirize this world: He did so brilliantly, with great skill, enormous humour and constant invention. Terry faced his Alzheimer’s disease (an ‘embuggerance’, as he called it) publicly and bravely. Over the last few years, it was his writing that sustained him. His legacy will endure for decades to come. My sympathies go out to Terry’s wife Lyn, their daughter Rhianna, to his close friend Rob Wilkins, and to all closest to him.”

Pratchett penned some 70 novels during his career,...

Or at least, that’s what I’ve decided this week will be, here in my column. And it’s my column, so as Loki would say (and I am fond of quoting), “I do what I want!” Mwahaha! Seriously, though – I have a lot of fantastically talented friends, and it just so happens that two of them are currently involved in fun Kickstarters that I think are deserving of attention. So without further ado, here they are: 1) Stage Production of Terry Pratchett’s Wyrd Sisters: Anybody who knows me probably knows that I’m a huge fan of Terry Pratchett and his Discworld series. What you might not know (even if you’re a Discworld fan) is that over nineteen of Terry’s books have been adapted to the stage since 1991 by the Audie Award-winning voice actor and Discworld collaborator Stephen Briggs, who has also voiced a large number of the Discworld audiobooks.