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Neil Gaiman and Penn Jillette Adapting The Road to Endor

by Alex Billington
November 11, 2008
Source: MTV

I know what you're thinking - they're making another Ewoks movie?! No, this time the Endor in question is that of a Canaanite village from the Hebrew Bible, not the planet from Star Wars. "The Road to Endor" is a book written in 1920 by E.H. Jones that tells the true story of two World War I prisoners who trick their guards into believing they are in touch with the spirit world in order to escape from a Turkish prison camp. MTV has discovered that famed comic book author Neil Gaiman (seen above left) and Penn Jillette (right, of Penn and Teller fame) are adapting the story into a feature film. They do have a producer (E.H. Jones' granddaughter Hilary Bevan Jones), but don't have a director attached on the project just yet.

Here's where things get awesome. One of the prisoners was an amateur magician, so the two used gimmicks like Ouija boards, séances, mentalist scams, poltergeist effects, and fake suicides to even convince the Camp Commander that they were in touch with the spirit world. Gaiman explains, "it's more fun to adapt someone else's work into a movie than my own, because then I can do the horrible violence to it that you might have to do, that I wouldn’t dare do to mine." Don't worry, he's only talking about the violence of adapting the story, cutting certain elements, and tweaking it to make it work on the big screen. Whatever Gaiman and Jillette end up doing, I already love the idea - so bring it on, because I want to see it!

Filed under Movie News, Opinions

From around the web:

Scott McHenry

sounds like a winner, sort of.
Maxx

wow this could really be amazing plus Gaiman is a master writer and Penn will bring a fun view to it...I want to get this book
http://www.tfpc.co.uk tct

Nice to hear there is still something fresh out there to be done. This sounds very interesting.
Kyle A. Koyote

Both amazing writers..a humorous premise..I see this as being really really good...
Serafina

I dunno, I LOVE Neil Gaiman as an author, but not so much as a screenwriter. With Mirrormask and Beowulf, the story was the weakest part. Dont get me wrong, I love when his novels are adapted, but when he writes the screenplay, something seems to be lacking. And I dont know of any narratives that Penn's written
Trent

Neil Gaiman is a self aggrandizing Scientologist, and Scientologists create an enormous amount of misery in the world, so it really isn't cute or funny. Scientologists are either in good standing or disconnected from their family members so Gaiman is clearly in good standing as is Amanda Palmer. Why does Gaiman support this dangerous cult? I suspect in order to gain monetary and career benefit. Scientologists call outsiders WOGS and it is okay for them to lie to us, in this case about their status so they can continue to take our money and fund a dangerous cult that destroys lives. The money trail to Gaiman is a fact and Gaiman also sent his children to Scientology schools. The Gaiman Family USA are Patrons with Honors of Scientology, meaning they’ve donated at least $100,000.00. The Gaiman Family USA is Neil Gaiman because both of his sisters are married and go by their married names, Claire Edwards and Lizzie Calcione. ( These two sisters are bigwig Scienos, being the respective heads of recruiting in LA and the Wealden Center in East Grinstead). In 2006, the same year Neil Gaiman donated $100,00.00, his father David Gaiman (now deceased, donated almost 400,000 pounds or $750,000.00. Gaiman's entire family are high ranking Scientologists and Neil Gaiman is a member in VERY good standing. They also donate through G & G Foods, their family company. Go to http://www.truthaboutscientology.com/ to see the big picture. 2003: THE GAIMAN FAMILY USA Impact magazine #105 Patrons ($100,000.00) You will find them listed in CAPS because they are Patrons with Honors ($100,000.00) 2004: Impact #109 G & G Foods Patrons ($40,000.00) 2004: THE GAIMAN FAMILY USA Impact Magazine #109 Founding Patrons ($100,000.00)[circa September 2004 ]:Founding Patrons are those who became Patrons by the IAS 20th Anniversary (October/November 2004). The following list appears in Impact 114 [ circa September 2006 ]: 2006: Impact #114 G & G Food Supplies Patrons ($40,000.00) 2006: THE GAIMAN FAMILY USA Impact magazine #114 Patrons ($100,000.00) You will find them listed in CAPS because they are Patrons with Honors ($100,000.00) 2006: Impact magazine #114 DAVID & SHEILA GAIMAN UK Silver Meritorious ($750,000.00) allegiance
gibbelin

Neil Gaiman is from a Scientologist family, he's not a Scientologist himself. He rarely talks about it because he doesn't want to offend his family. He said as much in a New Yorker interview. My parents are Mormons who probably donate to their church, and if I read about some idiot on the internet saying that makes me Mormon by association I would be furious. Get your facts straight before printing your libelous nonsense, Trent.
Trent

Gibbe, you are a deluded fool. Despite his denials, Neil Gaiman is an active Scientologist, recently listed in Scientology’s Cornerstone newsletter as donating $35,000.00 to the cult in November, 2009 and in 2010 donating another $500,000.00 through his business partner Mary Gaiman. The Gaiman family get 6 million a year from Scientology selling vitamins. Everything Gaiman says is a lie.
grplans

I am Welsh and based in UK. My father tells me that my grandfather knew one of the principal characters in the story EH Jones (author of the original book) very well and was given a signed copy by him. So I'd be interested to learn what has happened to this movie concept. Has it happened/Is it happening? .