Dear Bradbury Fans,
I am currently searching for the rights to one of Ray Bradbury's novels, The Martian Chronicles. Does anyone know who I can contact to try to acquire these rights for film production? Any help in this would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely,
FilmProducer

Mr. Bradbury's literary agent is Don Congdon Associates in New York City. That would probably be the best place to start. Here is a link noting that agency's contact information:

http://www.writersservices.com/agent/us/Don_Congdon.htm

I just went thru the same thing - contact Susan Ramer on sramer@doncongdon.com.

The Martian Chronicles, eh? My favourite book. But Ray tells me that Universal holds the option right now.

Thank you so much for your guidance. I've wanted to produce this into a movie series or movie mini series for so long, since adaptations seem to be done very wrong sometimes. Was unhappy with the 80's version that they made, which subtracted so much of the story. I'll check into either of these two resources. Again, thank you!

FilmProducer, I know from speaking to Ray directly, that he would very much like to see a new production, ideally a film project, made of The Martian Chronicles as he, too, was not very happy with the television production.

Yes, when I got my DVD of the mini-series, I asked Ray to sign this "boring mini-series". I also asked his opinion on why it was boring considering that it came from my favourite novel and Richard Matheson is a fine writer. He said it was the production values given it at the time. He also thought it was very boring as well, by the way.

FilmProducer, may we chat? Pray, contact me on ForrestJBradbury at gmail dot com - thanks!

Doug, please forgive me for my ignorance, but what did Richard Matheson have to do with Ray's television mini-series of The Martian Chronicles? did he write a screen play for it?

biplane1:
I can answer that one. Yep. Matheson did the screenplay.

How bad was the mini-series? Was at Ray's house when the telecast came in. We all chatted and switched channels a lot at the time prompting Ray's promise to get our attention by a shotgun blast to the ceiling.

Right - RM actually signed the DVD for me as well last summer.

I didn't mention to him that it was boring.

From what I heard in an interview, Matheson is aware that the mini-series was weak, but he seems to believe that Bradbury doesn't adapt well to the screen. This is an opinion we often hear, but I don't agree with it. I believe that Bradbury doesn't adapt easily - which is a whole other matter.

My favorite RM story turned into a movie was "Somewhere In Time" With Jane Seymour and Christopher Reeve. But then I am a sucker for films like "The Ghost and Mrs. Muir" as well, a two hankie weeper if there ever was one. I own an first edition novel signed by RM of Bid Time Return (SIT). I have watched the DVD many times and any time it comes on the cable I am stuck to it like glue. The music is mystical and the whole thing is just a treasure to watch. Matheson has a walk on part as well.

I love Matheson's work, but have never got round to seeing "Somewhere In Time". I will rent it today!

This Richard Matheson must have a large spectrum of fiction. My wife borrowed a DVD of a movie, Stir of Echoes with Kevin Bacon and Katherine Erbe (from the Law and Order series.)
A real spooky movie the first of which my wife had ever watched.

Just stay away from What Dreams May Come with Mr Robin Williams - your prototypical bad movie!

Doug, now you have my curiosity up. I'll have to to see the movie now. But it is interesting that Robin Williams has played in some dark movies, i.e. one called "The Photo Lab" or something to that effect where he becomes attached, in a weird, obsessive way to the individuals and families in the photos he develops. I never saw the movie but the trailers looked spooky. It wasn't around in the theatres too long either.