Universal Studios has given the greenlight to an adaptation of Cirque du Freak, British author Darren Shan’s hair-raising children’s novel that is the first of 12 installments (can you say franchise?), to be directed by Paul Weitz (American Pie) and possibly star John C. Reilly. The Walk Hard actor is in negotiations to play vampire Larten Crepsley, a member of the circus who becomes intertwined in the lives of two young boys. Josh Hutcherson (Bridge to Terabithia) and newcomer Chris J. Kelly are in negotiations to play the two boys. Production is scheduled to begin in Feb. 2008.
Three of Shan’s 12 books have already been optioned by Universal, and J.K. Rowling has endorsed the fantastical series. Cirque du Freak marks the second venture into the big-budget children’s movie biz for the Weitz Brothers: Paul’s sibling Chris will show his mettle next month when New Line bows his $150 million budgeted Golden Compass — another movie with franchise potential.
Comments (1-30) of 197
I love the books! cant wait to se when the movie comes out! me and my friend will be first in line!
-Emily
I love the books! cant wait to see when the movie comes out! me and my friend will be first in line!
-Emily
I don’t think John c. Reilly should play Mr. Crepsley. Mr. Crepsley has a narrower face, he’s taller, and he has red hair.
He is so ugly! i always imagined mr.crepsley as being reasonably hot, but now my fantasies are ruined!!! BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Johnny Depp should be Vancha (my friends think that johnny depp is so hot!) and that dude that is playing Steve is pretty cool. Can’t find a pic of that Chris Kelly anywhere! if anyone has a pic of him please e-mail it to me:
hyper-sheep@hotmail.co.uk
Can’t wait for it to come out! YAY! x
Oh noes!! I also imagined mr crepsley to be at the least . . . . . . handsome >.>
Noooo! Mr. Crepsley looks nothing like him! John C Reilly’s a good actor but if he doesn’t look like the character, he can’t BE the character. I still can’t find any pictures of Chris Kelly, though – and Josh Hutcherson doesn’t really look like how I pictured Steve. Boooooo.
I would think Josh Hucherson would play would play darren, actually. I hope Chris J kelly plays steve; he’s cute:
http://www.imdb.com/gallery/hh/1491631/HH/1491631/iid_1435015.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Kelly,%20Chris%20J.
Have you even read the books? It says a number of times that Crepsley is UGLY!
DOOD. Crepsly is not hot. sure, I think Crepsly would have had a narrower, more hollowed kind of face, but crepsly is NOT HOT.
and Vancha is flippin ugly too. Johnny Depp for Vancha? *rolls eyes* bajeebus.
I think josh hutcherson could play steeve perfectly. We’ve seen him play mean in Zathura, i think he can do evil.
i think i should play ALL the characters! ha ha jk… i think all the characters in the book should be hot as f*** so the viewers can have something to drool over.. hell yeah, and ill be one! johnny dept for vancha HELL YEAH!!! there’s an idea right there, but yeah creepsley does have red hair, go find a fire-croch… i think viewers dig them =)
I agree with desiree, leah, and annie. just because the book says mr crepsley is ugly doesnt mean that the film should show him as ugly. i think that it would be better if all the main characters were hot as it would appeal to more people, but Reilly should NOT play crepsley as he does not have orange hair (yes i have heard of hair dye/wigs), his face is not narrow and his nose is just messed up (sorry to any of his fangirls. as for the johnny depp thing, i think it would be good and funny because johnny depp would suit the character really well and johnny depp with green hair? just plain lol.
the two boys would suit there characters great aswell (im really jealous of the girl who will be playing debbie), infact i only have issues with Reilly playing crepsley, its just a no go zone, cant the casting crew see that? with any luck darren shan should have a say in this and hopefully he will agree, if not then we will all have to put with them making a really bad decision.
they better not put john reilly in this movie as mr.crepsley – it would ruin my the entire movie
i agree with what someone said above. although mr.crepsley is said to be ugly he is tall and lean and a very good fighter. i cant see john rielly fighting to the depths with vampaneze. they should cast someone who is a least decent looking, hopefully they will choose someone else.
im sorry if ur a fan of him but he does not make a good mr. crepsley! i think josh hutcherson would make an ok steve i think he kinda looks like him. I cant find any pictures of chris kelly so i dont know if he would make a good darren. I am a fan of Johnny Depp but he would be a really bad Vancha cuz Vancha supposed to be ugly and jonny depp is not ugly!
uhmm yeah mr crepsley is not supposed to be hot because he is supposed to be a really old looking vampire with scars on his face you weird person who said you thought mr crepsley was supposed to be hot so read the books again xP
darren shan is irish, not british
i am the biggest fan i will be camping out to be the first in line
Cirque Du Freak is the best boook ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cirque Du Freak is the best boook ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!
In the Cirque du freak movie newcomer Chris Kelly will Darren Shan
If you want a picture of Chris J. Kelly, its on this site; http://www.imdb.com/gallery/hh/1491631/HH/1491631/iid_1435015.jpg?path=pgallery&path_key=Kelly,%20Chris%20J.
dude seriously if crepsly and everyone was popular and it appealed to everyone… then what happens to the fans that was at start… jack… cuz they it will be a popular thing and it will stupid… theyll repeat it and it will turn out to be another napolien dynimite… mean everyone likes it and the ones who liked it first will get annoyed at it… man that was a long comment… i hope u understand my rant… im a fan and i dont want it popular!
dude seriously if crepsly and everyone was popular and it appealed to everyone… then what happens to the fans that was at start… jack… cuz they it will be a popular thing and it will stupid… theyll repeat it and it will turn out to be another napolien dynimite… mean everyone likes it and the ones who liked it first will get annoyed at it… man that was a long comment… i hope u understand my rant… im a fan and i dont want it popular!
crepsley does not need to be really good looking, remember in the first book darren is scared of him so he needs to have an eery side to him. John C. Reilly is a good actor and could probably do a good job but wouldnt look the part so they need to find somene better, as for jhonny depp … i think he could play any character (he’s a tallented actor) but someone like sean bean would be better. the ppl who play darren and steve look good, i dont know about acting (iv never seen either of them) but they look the part. oh my god iv written an essay!!!!!! o well im just a big fan of the books and i just want them to get this right soooooo bad.
I think johney depp should play Gavner purl because gavner is like the comedian kinda guy in the novel and johney depp is also a person who likes to make jokes so i think johnney for gavner
I am a Really big fan of the books and when I heared that someone was making a movie so I got even more happy. My question is ‘Is it comming up to New Hampshire? Love the books! Bye
I am a Really big fan of the books and when I heared that someone was making a movie so I got even more happy. My question is ‘Is it comming up to New Hampshire? Love the books! Bye
Is the movie comming to New Hampshire?
WHY HIM?! WHY?!
NNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT WILL COME IF HE PLAYS CREPSLEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I WILL GO ON STRIKE AND TELL EVERYONE NOT TO SEE THE MOVIE!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WILL NOT WORK!!!!!!!!!!!
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