4 book adaptations we would rather watch than a new Harry Potter TV series
By Bryce Olin
The Kingkiller Chronicle
I’m probably preaching to the choir by suggesting The Kingkiller Chronicle by Patrick Rothfuss as an adaptation we’d like to see instead of the Harry Potter TV series. Of all the book adaptations stuck in development hell fans want to see, The Kingkiller Chronicle is probably at the top of the list for many.
The Kingkiller Chronicle tells the story of Kvothe, an innkeeper and former traveling trouper turned wizard. Over a three-day period, Kvothe recounts his life story. There are two books in the series so far, and each book represents one day of Kvothe narrating his life. The Name of the Wind was released in 2007, followed by The Wise Man’s Fear in 2011. The Doors of Stone is, hopefully, coming soon. That will be the third and final book in the trilogy.
We’ve been close to getting some version of The Kingkiller Chronicles on TV for about a decade, first at 20th Century Fox and years later at Showtime, but as of 2019, Lionsgate TV is reportedly still shopping the potential series.
It’s understandable why The Kingkiller Chronicles hasn’t happened yet. First of all, Rothfuss isn’t done with The Doors of Stone. It would be silly to roll out a new series without seeing how this story is going to end. Waiting until the book series comes to an end is the right move for anyone trying to develop The Kingkiller Chronicle as a TV series.
On top of that, there are a few unique challenges about this story that need to be ironed out. These books have stories within stories within stories. Is it possible to present the series in the same way it’s told to readers in the book? How would that work? We all want The Kingkiller Chronicle TV series to happen, but only if it turns out good. And that can take time.