Count the Spiderwick Chronicles among the many Harry Potter copycats that have come out in the last 5 to 10 years, although Spiderwick probably owes more to Lemony Snicket than Potter, but we wouldn't have had Lemony Snicket if we didn't have Harry Potter, so you see my point.
The series of books by author Holly Black and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi centers on twin brothers Jared and Simon who, along with their sister Mallory uncover a world of fairies and other creatures. You know the drill. Everyone seems to loves these books, but they sort of rub me the wrong way.
I have a thing about women authors and their "too cutesy" way of writing, like they are trying to prove to the world that they are clever despite the fact that they are women, as if women aren't inherently more clever than men anyway. But when I see chapter titles like "In Which Two Walls are Explored by Vastly Different Methods" I just cringe and think "girlfriend, please..."
And the cats... they ALWAYS want to talk about their cats.
But I digress...
Inevitably (and I'm sure they had dollar signs in their eyes when they wrote the series), the Spiderwick Chronicles will be brought to the big screen by Paramount, and we are getting some casting news from the Hollywood Reporter.
Freddy Highmore already has been cast as the twins, Jared and Simon, and Sarah Bolger will play Mallory. Mary-Louise Parker (who I love LOVE LOVE in Showtime's Weeds) is in negotiations to play a harried mother of three, coping after separating from her husband. Hmm.... divorced mom, mother of 2 boys, 1 girl... this is all TOO familiar!!
Andrew McCarthy will play the ex-husband, and frankly I'm SHOCKED that the man still has a career.
Nick Nolte and Martin Short are also in negotiations to lend their voices to the film, with Nolte (who so recently scared the children with his gruff voice in Over the Hedge) playing Mulgrath, the evil dark lord after the children, and Short (who will soon be scaring the children with his visage in The Santa Clause 3) playing Thimbletack, a helpful brownie and sometimes mischievous boggart.
The ever wonderful and dependable Dame Joan Plowright will play the childrens' aunt, who can see the mystical creatures and therefore deemed "off her rocker" and thrown into an asylum.
