News > Universal to make Wheel of Time movies

Variety is reporting that Universal has optioned the rights to Robert Jordan's presumptive 12-part fantasy book series. For the very few of you that are not aware, the Wheel of Time series is one of the longest fantasy stories ever told, if not the longest.

It's also one of the richest and most original works of fantasy literature since C.S. Lewis and J.R.R Tolkien knocked about story ideas in a bar more than 60 years ago. In fact, it can be successfully argued that the series helped revitalize a genre more obsessed with copying Tolkien's style than telling an original story.

All of these factors makes it one of the most unfilmable written works ever created. Of course, those literary geeks out there will remember this is the same thing the experts used to say about the Lord of the Rings and I seem to remember those movies doing alright.

Since the Wheel of Time series has sold more than 30 million copies worldwide, it was only a matter of time before somebody decided to attempt the seemingly impossible. Red Eagle Entertainment, the same group behind the official graphic novels, are the producers on the project.

As of yet, there is not much more known about how the series will be broken apart, or if they even plan to film the entire story. What is known, is that there is a built in fan base that has been dreaming of this day for a long time. Hopefully, they won't be disappointed.