If you happened to set foot in the YA lit section of a Borders Books (RIP) during the late ‘90s, then you undoubtedly came across one of those fantastic cardboard endcaps putting Eoin Colfer’s Artemis Fowl books and their loud covers on glorious display. “Read these books,” the displays shouted. “They’re gonna become movies someday.” That day is finally here.
The promise of an Artemis Fowl movie has been the stuff of YA legend mainly because the project’s been stuck in development hell almost as long as buzz about the project first started making the rounds years ago. For a time, it seemed as if the film might never come to fruition even after a cast was announced and Kenneth Branagh was attached to direct. But against all hope, Artemis Fowl is, in fact, coming to theatres and Disney announced the latest development by dropping an unexpected trailer in the middle of the night (for the U.S. at least).
It’s only a teaser trailer and doesn’t delve all that much into the specific story of how preteen, criminal billionaire Artemis (Ferdia Shaw) and his bodyguard Domovoi Butler (Nonso Anozie) set out to rob the hidden society of fairies who live in under the crust of the world. But at least a few of the teaser’s shots will remind anyone who read at least the first Artemis Fowl book of how weirdly epic the story was.
With Dame Judi Dench signed on to portray Commander Root, Josh Gad as Mulch Diggums, and Lara McDonnell as Captain Holly Short, the film’s cast is reason enough to keep an eye on Artemis Fowl ahead of its August 9, 2019 release date. One has to wonder, though, whether this is a franchise that anybody—especially younger audiences—are still hyped for.
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5 responses to “Artemis Fowl’s First Trailer Is Finally Here And It’s Surprisingly Epic”
The big Russian Butler is black? Didn’t expect that.
Always visualised him like Lurch from the Addams Family, but beefier.
If Scarjo can be Japanese, this seems like fair game. (I hear she’s cut up about not getting the role of Artemis himself).
It’s been forever since I read them but I feel like he was black in the books too, or at least something there had me thinking he was.
He is meant to be Eurasian, very, very tall, bald and without fear.
Maybe it’ll turn out alright, but there seems to be a few odd calls made in the translation from book to movie.
Judi dench as beetroot… dunno about that descision. it could be entertaining or awkward if they stick to actual characterisation there. strangely enough Butler looks about how I imagined him.
Why is Butler a short fat dude with hair? It’s like they flipped every aspect of his character. And he’s using magic? What the hell is going on?
I haven’t read the book series, but it appears to have shades of Men in Black, Spy Kids, Valerian CTP, and a big nod to Chinese Ghost Story…