The Most Iconic Western Novel Ever Gets Film From Star Trek Movie Writer
John Logan, known for his writing prowess on the 2002 film Star Trek: Nemesis, will adapt the 1985 Cormac McCarthy novel Blood Meridian for the big screen. John Hillcoat, who worked on the adaptation of the author’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Road, will direct and produce the project alongside Keith Redmon for New Regency.
“Blood Meridian has been one of my favorite novels since first reading it in 1985. It’s a majestic, beautiful, and uncompromising book, and I’m thrilled to be able to help bring Cormac McCarthy’s dark masterpiece to the screen.”
John Logan
McCarthy’s son, John Francis McCarthy, will executive produce, while Cormac McCarthy, who died in 2023, will be credited as an executive producer posthumously. Blood Meridian (also known as The Evening Redness in the West) is often dubbed as one of the finest works of American literature. It explores the realities of America’s westward expansion, challenging traditional tropes and Wild West mythos.
Blood Meridian is set in the 1850s on the Texas-Mexico border. The story follows a 14-year-old from Tennessee who discovers a nightmarish trade in which Native Americans are being killed for their scalps. At the heart of Blood Meridian is Judge Holden, who is described as a blend of up-river Kurtz and Milton’s Satan.
The story sees the teenager, known as “The Kid,” travel across a lawless land after fleeing from his home. Blood Meridian is punctuated by horrific scenes that reveal the savage nature of humanity, brutality, and the loss of innocence. The book is filled with vivid, poetic descriptions of the violent frontier, painted with McCarthy’s distinctive writing style that captures the essence of the American West.
“Blood Meridian has been one of my favorite novels since first reading it in 1985,” Logan said in a statement. “It’s a majestic, beautiful, and uncompromising book, and I’m thrilled to be able to help bring Cormac McCarthy’s dark masterpiece to the screen.” Director John Hillcoat shared the sentiment, saying he is “excited to have the writer John Logan weigh in” on the project.
Blood Meridian is often dubbed as one of the finest works of American literature. It explores the realities of America’s westward expansion, challenging traditional tropes and Wild West mythos.
Logan has a slew of accolades to his name, such as the Tony-winning play Red. He has also been nominated for three Academy Awards and won several Golden Globe, WGA, BAFTA, and Edgar Awards. His filmography includes blockbuster hits like Skyfall, the highest-grossing James Bond movie ever, as well as critically acclaimed works like The Aviator, Gladiator, Hugo, and Sweeney Todd.
The Long Road Adapting Blood Meridian
Since its publication, many have recognized the cinematic potential of Blood Meridian. However, despite several attempts to adapt the novel into a motion picture, all efforts have stalled during development or pre-production stages. One belief is that the story is “unfilmable” due to its relentless violence and grim atmosphere.
However, McCarthy previously refuted this notion, acknowledging the challenges but also the potential for extraordinary payoff with the right vision and courage. Numerous screenwriters and directors have been involved in attempts to bring Blood Meridian to life on screen.
Steve Tesich penned the first screenplay adaptation in 1995. Tommy Lee Jones’ acquired the film rights in the late 1990s, but the project stalled due to concerns over its graphic content. Ridley Scott and William Monahan tried to adapt Blood Meridian in the mid-2000s but later gave up on it. James Franco explored the possibility of adapting the novel, but issues with film rights prevented the realization of a cinematic version of the book.
Despite its dark nature, Blood Meridian offers a profound reflection on the nature of war and violence, challenging conventional notions of good and evil. It will be interesting to see what John Logan does with the source material.
Source: Deadline
