OK, so we all know that Clive isn't overly thrilled about this movie and the direction that it has taken, but to what extent is he going to be willing to push this. I read Harry Knowles' review of the movie from aintitcool.com last night and he was pleasantly surprised. I think people are going to rely on what critics are going to say about this, but I think the movie is going to be a grand adventure. I can't remember the last time that I went to the movies and felt like I was taken for a ride, I am hoping Sahara does it. Are Dirk and Al miscast, only time will tell, I'm not looking for exactly what they look like, but I'm looking for that interaction and playful banter that they share. So this being all said, are there going to be other movies made? Is it going to depend on how Sahara does? Will this potentially turn into a frachise, because Dirk Pitt is one of the great characters in literature of all time. Look forward to the responses.

Welcome to the forum jferring! From what I have heard, the producers are waiting to see if SAHARA is a big success before launching into more Dirk Pitt movies. They have the rights to Night Probe and Inca Gold. Clive's lawsuit won't be resolved until at least the summer and then we'll know what action even can be taken regarding more movies.

My current hope is that more movies are made but I also want what's best for Clive. Time will tell.

Enjoy your time on the forum and post often! :)

I'm about halfway through re-reading Night Probe for the first time in awhile, and I don't see a lot of adventure in this one either. A lot of politics and information gathering. I'm sure it will pick up, but so far it would be a snoozer of a movie with about one scene of action merit (the assassination attempt). It'd be great to see the Empress sailing on screen, though.

You're obviously forgetting about the ninjas that attempt to kidnap Heidi, the car chase through Montreal, the helicopter gun battle and the scene where Dirk and Al crash the the Manhattan Limited into Foss Gly's monster truck.

Oh wait... that's the screenplay treatment i was thinking of, not the novel.

I would personally like to see Inca Gold be made into a movie. I think Eisner would do a great job with the underground river scene at the end snor:

I highly doubt that Eisner will be returning for another Dirk Pitt movie if one is made. From what I have heard is that Sahara was to kind of get his name out there and to show people what he can do. If I remember correctly, he was involved in Spielburg's series Taken, but that wasn't enough for everyone to know who he was.

If not Eisner, then maybe Spielberg!! :lol: :lol:

I don't think Night Probe! is a snoozer at the start. Along with assassination attempt on the Canadian Prime Minister we have the sinking of the Empress of Ireland and, the robbery and ‘train wreck’. Then not too long after that there's the cat and mouse game with the Doodlebug and the nuclear sub.
After that they could probably spice up the two salvage operations. Perhaps they could make the scene where Pitt bonks Foss Gly on the head with a wrench a longer fight scene. Plus, imagine how cool the ghost train could look.
Who decided that an adventure movie should be non-stop action? I watched XXX, a movie that could be argued to have action from start to finish, and I got bored. It’s like a baseball game where everyone hits a home run; after awhile it just looks like batting practice.
Give me some exposition. Give me some character development. When Pitt is running out of oxygen in the mine I cared.
I don’t think Inca Gold should be the next one. They already did a story that mostly takes place in the desert. To do one in upstate New York and Canada would set the tone that Pitt adventures happen all over the world.
Oh yes, if there is another actress who is more perfect for Heidi Milligan than Sharon Stone, I don’t know who she is.

Sharon Stone may be a little old for someone studying for her doctorate, although I guess Heidi is pretty high up in the Navy. I do like Sharon Stone as an actress, though, for sure.

I don't think a Pitt movie has to be non-stop action, I just think the political overtones of Night Probe are a little much for the general movie-going public. The screenplay would have to be hack the book to pieces like Sahara's did and we know the generous outrage that followed from that abhorrition. I guess the more I think of making Pitt books into movies, the more I realize that CC's plots really are pretty outlandish.

How about Med. Caper (Mayday)? It's one of my favorite books and I'd love to see the labrynth on screen, even though I could do without MM's naked torso squeezing through the gate. :lol:

Nicole Kidman would be better as Heidi. I would not want Night Probe hacked up into a non-stop adventure tale. It would be better to leaven the next Dirk Pitt movie with some expository pacing so that people can see that a Dirk Pitt movie is more than just an Indiana Jones type of franchise.

I haven't read Med. Caper in about 15 years so I don't remember enough about it.
I wasn't suggesting that the next movie be non-stop action. I was actually suggesting the opposite. Maybe there should be a distinction between an action movie and an adventure movie. Give me the adventure movie.
As for the actress to play Heidi; who would you more likely take an order from if you were in the Navy? Nicole Kidman comes across as a little mousey to me.
I think the 'hacking up' of the books when made into movies can't be stopped. Plus, when you take a story that was relevant 20-some years ago, you will probably need to make changes.
The only thing I didn’t like about Sahara was them calling the Iron Clad a death ship but never linking it with any deaths. There must be a lot of footage that got cut for time.
As I understand it they only have movie rights for Night Probe! and Inca Gold, and the likelihood of acquiring rights to any other books are pretty slim.


I just watched National Treasure. If they didn’t read Cussler books before they made that movie I’d be surprised. They even had a quick reference to the Library of Alexandria.

Also, on the TV show Lost they had an old sailing ship in the middle of the jungle and mentioned how a tsunami must have carried it there. Of course we all know that most of the wood should have rotted away years ago.

I don't mean to split hairs with you here, fossgly, but we also know that Polar Bears don't live on tropical islands. j:

Your other comments, though, were really insightful. Thanks! I agree, Nicole Kidman is a bit mousy, and I (for some reason) see Heidi as a bit less stick-like. We can debate character choice for the next five years until the movie comes out but can be pretty sure the producers will go ahead and choose someone else anyway. :lol:

CGI polar bears do.

So it looks like you’re watching Lost too. I wonder what other movies and TV shows Cussler/Pitt fans are watching. I tried to get into 24 but lost interest the first season. JAG just looked amateurish to me.

I love 24. If you didn't enjoy the first season, you're sure to enjoy the fourth (that was this year's). 24 has some great and memorable characters who are fun to watch in action i.e. Jack Bauer, Tony Almeida, James Heller, Edgar the computer guy (I can't remember his last name :lol: )

I reccomend the show to all!! th: th:

Since it seems that it is fashionable to do old movies again and i have been told that if the old version was a success, the new version will propably be a flop. Because of that reason i think that if they make new version of RTT, it could be success. Night Probe, Treasure and Inca Gold, for example, could be great movies. Althought it isn't DP book, i think that they could make great movie from Serpent.

Lost is (or was.... season 1 is finished in the US) a great Tv Show. Many people missed the point about the scenes about the Polar bears. I believe that they were manifested by "the boy". Isnt it funny how the polar bears only appear after he reads the comic book with the polar bear in it. Since the comic book has been burned... no more bears.

24 season 4 is ok. Sadly though, they've kept the same formula again like Seasons 1 2 and 3. A few surprises on the way.

Thanks to the little thing called "the Internet". I've been able to watch these shows before the rest of Australia has. Another show I like is Alias (season 4). 24 and Alias has yet to even start in Aust. yet have just finished in the USA.

----

Back on topic. Inca Gold is shaping up to be a great book (i.e 1/2 way through). Sadly though, I can see the same thing happing here. Cussler in all his greatness has put too much story in his book for the movie makers to make. I can see a majority of the story will be cut.

If they were to make a movie out of it. The first part of teh book will already be a 2 hour movie.

If they were to make another movie, lets hope they give a bit more respect to the CC - DP series and not make a typical Hollywood no brainer action flick !!

Alias is one of my favorite tv shows! Season 4 was allright, but the season finale just blew me away! p:

;) I'd have to vote on Sharon Stone for Heidi Milligan, but Nickcole Kidman is perfect for Loren Smith. Just my 2 cents.

Forgive me if I am misinterpreting your statement fossgly but what does the Library of Alexandria have to do with Cussler books except for maybe one of his books and then I want to point out it is not a fictional creation. It really did exist for a time but was destroyed. Some have theorized it was looted too. I have seen movies or books that have it destroyed by fire or water. However it was destroyed, it was a great collection of knowledge that was lost to mankind.

Wasn't the entire book of Treasure about the Library of Alexandria? I haven't read it in a few years so maybe I'm wrong.

National Treasure did have a bit of a Cussler feel to it, although he would have written in more action and fewer linear clues/discoveries.

I'd go with Jennifer Aniston or Jennifer Garner for Loren Smith

I have always felt that "Deep Six" would make a super movie. It was based on a crazy premise that would be perfect for the movie industry similar to the Manchurian Candidate...only better. It even read like a kind of movie plot - especially the end which was high in action and very climactic.

I just finished up dragon again today, and I think that would make a great movie...especially when it came to the manhunt scene, that would make for some intense good cinema. w:

my vote is still for cyclops... jersey colony is even more believable today (in the since that we are far more advanced); the sky fight in the blimp vs. helicopters would look cool; pitt would be humanized in the interrogation scenes; the very tense shuttle scene oculd be done great with cgi; the assault on the baddies place in cuba could be beefed up to a huge battle scene; the explosion/devistation at the end would be impressive; and course ... pitt in the tub! what could be cooler than that on the big screen! just my observation form the cheep seats! :P

You make a great sales pitch, numa77 th:

Thanks numa77, I was deciding which Cussler book to reread next. I'll go with Cyclops th:

Jennifer Aniston is a whiny thing. Nicole Kidman might be okay as Loren Smith but I have my doubts. I can't think of a blonde right off the top of my mind at the moment who could do Loren Smith justice. Sharon Stone is too old for the role. I agree with numa77 too about Cyclops, if it is made just right. Thank you Oswalder, for reminding me of the exact book that does include something about the Library of Alexandria. I remember Seaquest had an episode about it being found underwater. snor:

Judging from clues sprinkled throughout Sahara I'm thinking the next one will be Shock Wave.

please enlighten the curious ... what clues did you see? b:

i think if they do make night probe! next, they should get timothy dalton to play shaw. obviously connery would be the best choice, but i think he's too old now (so's moore). brosnon is too young. dalton is about the right age, and during his time as bond had a nice true-to-the-books edginess which would play well in the shaw role. what do you think?

I think Dalton or Brosnan would definatelymake a good choice for Shaw. Today's audience might associate Brosnan with Bon---I mean Shaw more, as that's the face they've seen the last couple of years...

And I still say the best choice to play Loren Smith is Gillian Anderson

I can't agree more. It's exactly what I pictured Loren to look like!!

Holy crap, Foss, that is Loren!

I'm with Tony, she is perfect!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You're right, there were a couple I saw in there.

The shots of Dirk's office on the ship..
..there is a large wall calendar with LAGOS outlined in green and the next week is AUSTRALIA in orange.

When Pitt meets Sandecker at the reception for King whats-his-name and shows him the coin...Sandecker remarks about next week it's AUSTRALIA

Rudi is hoping to meet a girl in AUSTRALIA when he's on board the Calliope and Al tells him about the *Ship of Death*


Those are the three I remember

Good points Mostly Heep! th: I guess all we can do now is wait and hope..................................I HATE waiting! <_<

numa77, I think I love you! :P So far I agree with everything you've said, except that I think good ole' Sean would be great for "Shaw". I hope either Shock Wave or Cyclops is made into the next movie, though I would LOVE to see Inca Gold. I guess I have some sick fascination with the main guys geting the crap beat of them, as I want to see those two books where they all get beat to H and back. Although I would love Med. Caper as well, since I have NO problem seeing a naked MM going through the labyrinth! :D

Sounds like Shock Wave!!! I remember the scenes too!!! w: I juust wonder if they have already started on it, yet? Either way it's going to be awhile. b: w:

Gillain Anderson is a good choice for Lauren.
But I always saw Rene Russo in the role myself. :)