Blood Meridian is often referred to as the Great American Novel, and the magnum opus of esteemed western writer, Cormac McCarthy. Numerous directors have toyed with the idea of bringing it to the big screen in the past, with the likes of Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott having previously failed to get it greenlit.
Now, though, Blood Meridian could finally be getting the silver screen treatment. The western genre is booming thanks to other areas of entertainment such as the online casino industry, and filmmakers want to capitalise on that.
Online Casino Industry Highlights Popularity of Westerns
In the booming age of online entertainment, filmmakers often look to other sectors to see what’s hot. The online casino industry is one of the most influential sectors, and a great place to find trending themes. When you try the slots at Betfair Casino, it’s clear that westerns are back with a bang in the slots market. There are countless western games to choose from, including Wild West Wilds, Wild West Gold Megaways, and King of the West.
The slots market is packed full of different genres, but some are clearly more popular than others. Westerns are in abundance, underlining the fact that millions of players are looking for them. The film industry doesn’t reflect this resurgence of the western in the mainstream yet, which is why filmmakers are scrambling to create more offerings. It was only a matter of time before someone decided to take on Blood Meridian.
Blood Meridian Has Previously Been Dubbed “Unfilmable”
According to a report from Collider, Blood Meridian is an unfilmable novel that has stumped legendary directors for years. Thanks to its extremely graphic content and unconventional plot structure, many studios have declined the opportunity to take it on for fear that it wouldn’t translate to the big screen.
Times are changing, though, and many films that had once been turned down by big studios are getting made. The streaming era has helped this along, with Scorsese’s The Irishman being a prime example. The iconic director had been trying to make that picture for decades, but nobody picked it up until Netflix came along and gave him the budget he needed.
It was recently reported in Deadline that an adaptation of Blood Meridian is finally underway, with John Hillcoat set to direct and New Regency publishing. It finally appears to be making the transition to the screen.
What Other McCarthy Books Have Been Adapted for Cinema?
Filmgoers may be aware that a couple of McCarthy’s books have already been adapted for the big screen. Hillcoat previously directed The Road in 2009, which was met with critical acclaim and helped put the director on the map. The best of all, though, was easily No Country for Old Men in 2007.
The offering from Joel and Ethan Coen is up there with the best films of the 21st century, thanks to its incredible cinematography and innovative directorial techniques. The acting from the likes of Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin was also incredible.
If you haven’t read Blood Meridian yet, it may be the perfect time to do so. The film industry has been crying out for an adaptation of the landmark novel for years, and it may finally be coming to fruition.