ROTTEN TOMATOES: Shuler Donner Begins Cirque du Freak

Shuler Donner Begins Cirque du Freak

by Fred Topel | November 23, 2006

Everyone is looking for the next "Harry Potter" or "Lord of the Rings" movie franchise, and Lauren Shuler Donner thinks she may have found it in the "Cirque du Freak" books. She is beginning production on the first film.

“It’s a series of 12 books in England that are hugely popular,” she said. “They’re in the vein of Harry Potter in that young boys and girls love them. Cirque du Freak is a freak show that comes to town and through this series of events, he becomes a vampire’s assistant, which is sort of like a half vampire so he has half the powers. He has the speed and he’ll age half as much. There’s a war between the good vampires and the bad vampires. His best friend becomes head of the bad vampires and ultimately the books lead to a huge war between the two of them.”

Shuler Donner has assembled an A-list crew to bring the books to life. “Brian Helgeland wrote the script and we brought in Paul Weitz to direct it. Paul’s doing his rewrite and we used the first three books. There’ll be four movies. Each movie is a combination of three books.”

The films will also transplant the story from England to America. “It works just as well.”

With vampires and wars, this hardly sounds like Harry Potter family fare. “It is more intense than Potter. It’ll still be PG-13 but "X-Men" was PG-13 and we went pretty far, so it’ll go that far.”

Cirque du Freak is in production at Universal.

Related Items

Movie:	X-Men
	Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
Celeb:	Lauren Shuler Donner
	Brian Helgeland
	Paul Weitz

(1-20 of 31 posts) | Reply

privatepilesleftnipple writes:
on Nov 23 2006 08:16 AM

I read this article, now im on the verge of tears.

(Reply to this)

unbreakable_samurai writes:
on Nov 23 2006 08:45 AM

With Helgeland and Weitz involved it could be pretty good.

(Reply to this)

Ramiro writes:
on Nov 23 2006 07:05 PM

[b]wow[/b]
I'm a huge fan of the books and I've been waiting forever for this movie!!! Sounds like it's going to be great... but I don't know how to feel about them putting three books in a same movie. Anyway, this is great news!!!!

(Reply to this)

FunctionallyInsane writes:
on Dec 15 2006 09:28 PM

[b]Yay![/b]
This is exciting news for me :D,I've been a huge fan of the series since book one.I hope the movie is as enthralling as the books,though as the above poster said,I am leary about three books being crammed into one movie o.O;.

(Reply to this)

Harkat writes:
on Dec 20 2006 02:38 AM

[b]Cool! Exept if it gets made in America...[/b]
Transplant to America??? Does that mean it'll be american??

I've wanted to audition since I heard it was going to be made -If it gets made-.
But if it's american, Us English, welsh, scottish and irish people can't audition :(
Why couldn't it have been an English film?
We need more english films.

Anyway, I'll still go and see it when -if- it comes out. :D

(Reply to this)

Fangeddeer writes:
on Dec 20 2006 12:27 PM

[b]scha-weet[/b]
i cant wait for this. cirque du freak is probably my most favorite series of all time. Darren Shan is soo cool... when i was in 5th grade i said i was going to make this a movie, and now im totally pumped that they are. they cant screw it up, or ill be angry... they also cant cut out the viiolence, like when the wolf man bites off the vegan's hands, cause its important... later... sorry if i ruined it, but go out and read the books

(Reply to this)

lil sis writes:
on Dec 29 2006 06:11 PM

[b]yay!!!!!![/b]
alleluia alleluia!!!Finally!!! i have been waitin for somebody to make a movie out the series. thank u!!!!! I also am worried about cramming 3 books into 1 movie. if it is like that please put the events in order.i hope this movie comes out soon, I'll be the 1st in line for the tickets.

(Reply to this)

Vampiregirl23 writes:
on Jan 04 2007 04:54 PM

OMG!!!!!! i just finished the 12 book and it is so alsome that u r now (FINALLY!!)
making a movie it is so alsome!!!!!!! i cant get over it and also i think the character
that plays darren should be an unknow teenager it would make it more exciting
Another thing your books r alsome dude!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Reply to this)

Vampiregirl23 writes:
on Jan 05 2007 02:08 PM

They should make Mr.Crepsly Viggo Mortenson but with short hair and orange croped hair that would be so kwel:D They should also mak Vancha Johnny dep they would match up so goooood Lol :D

(Reply to this)

Vampirechristy writes:
on Jan 05 2007 07:41 PM

[b]OMG[/b]
OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HOPE MR. CREAPLEY IS HOTT IN THIS MOVIE

(Reply to this)

Vampiregirl23 writes:
on Jan 06 2007 12:43 PM

Mr.Crepsly will be hott if is Viggo Mortenson :D
or it could be Vanch but Vancha should be johnny dep dont u guys think :D

(Reply to this)

Vampiregirl23 writes:
on Jan 06 2007 05:22 PM

In reply to this comment (#849520)
Who do u think Mr. Crepsly should be???? :D
everyone thinks he should be Jack Black :(
I think he should be Viggo Mortenson:D
who do think :}

(Reply to this)

DanceEllieHorstonDanseX3 writes:
on Jan 15 2007 05:52 PM

dude. i'm so eXcited. i've loved these books from the first sentence in book one[; it all started wit the toilet riiight? haha. once i picked it up i couldn't put it down. and i sgree wit wat Fangeddeer seys. they better not mess it up. if they do i'll sue haha JK but i wil be mad. 'EEEEK can't wait[:

(Reply to this)

DanceEllieHorstonDanseX3 writes:
on Jan 15 2007 05:53 PM

MR CRESPLEY SHOULD BE JOHNNY DEPP!
[[.end.of.story.]]

(Reply to this)

#1darrenfan writes:
on Jan 20 2007 09:47 AM

[b]WHY DO YOU GUYS TORMENT ME SO!!![/b]
ur probably wondering who i am and what am i saying, well YOU ALL WILL TURN THESE MOVIES INTO A CATASTROPHY!!! JOHNNY DEPP WILL DO NO GOOD WHATSOEVER AND I HATE TO EVEN THINK THAT JACK BLACK MIGHT HAVE A CHANCE! THIS ISNT A COMEDY!! THIS IS A SERIOUS ISSUE!! with all of that out of the way id like to say that i am very pleased that these books will be made into movies. i love ya all, your freind -#1darren fan

ps. i am sorry if a came off a little harsh of black and depp. 8)

(Reply to this)

#1darrenfan writes:
on Jan 20 2007 09:49 AM

[b]oh yeah[/b]
1 more thing CIRQUE DU FREAK ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Reply to this)

DanceEllieHorstonDanseX3 writes:
on Jan 20 2007 07:03 PM

yeah i was thinkign it over johnny depp shouldn't be larten.. he wouldn't look good wit orange hair anyways LOL. 'eeek i'm bored.

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evanwheeler writes:
on Mar 05 2007 07:19 PM

[b]How's it gonna work if theres gonna be a sequel?[/b]
Guys i think that this is by far the best thing I have heard in a long time, but it kinda leaves you thinking how they will do a sequel to make a movie of the rest of the series. I mean being a vampire ( or a half vampire anyways ) darren only ages at one fifth the rate of a human. The actor who plays him will look to old by the time a sequel rolls around. THAT SUCKS! If they are gonna start a movie of a series of books, then you expect them to finish it. Im gonna end up dissapointed if this is the case.......

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ilovearizona writes:
on Apr 03 2007 03:42 PM

[b]Aha![/b]
The moder science of make-up will help keep the actor(s) young, and he dose grow a bit any. They could do it like Lord of the Rings and film half of a movie at the same time.
:D

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grotesquefairy writes:
on Aug 02 2007 07:52 PM

are you people insane jack black, viggo m.,jonny depp and whoever idiotic celeb you can think of are wrong for this flick; now ok i am just as big a Depp or black fan as anyone else and no they're not dumb,but in the case them in this film yes they are and anyone who thinks they'd be good is mental.
1.there should enlish actors inthis film b/c the characters are english
2.i don't think they should be big time actors like the harry potter kid an such
3.this is a sirius film so we should take it siriously especialy about whos in it
wfo else thinks so?

(Reply to this)