Adaptation Reviews Episodes

The rumour mill is turning! Early screenings of the upcoming Narnia film suggest that the soundtrack may be dipping into 70s and 80s rock. Nothing is certain yet—it could all be a red herring—but could it work, and if so, how? Join Jacob Rennaker and Julia Golding in today’s Mythmakers episode as they discuss the possibilities before turning their attention to the fantasy books of the 1980s, each sharing some of their favourite reads from one of the genre’s most influential decades. For more inf...

With the King and Queen of the United Kingdom heading to the US this week, Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker begin today’s episode of Mythmakers with a playful look at soft toy diplomacy and the source of many fantasy stories in nursery toys—including a bonus Tolkien connection. From there, the conversation turns to the thorny question of which cinematic universe is the best? Expect strong opinions as Julia and Jacob weigh the merits of Marvel, DC, Star Trek , Star Wars , and amongst others… (00:...

In today’s episode of Mythmakers, we cover three lively topics of discussion. Join Julia Golding and friend of the podcast, Jacob Rennaker, as they begin with the latest casting news for the upcoming prequel film The Hunt for Gollum—hits or misses? Next, they turn to the content challenges surrounding Stephen Colbert’s script for the second Lord of the Rings film currently in development—which we’re calling “the interval.” Rather than focusing on canon, Julia and Jacob explore the storytelling p...

In this two-part episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined once more by Andrew Head to review the full-cast Audible production of Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. Together, their discussion broadens to consider whether this form of audiobook, when not adapted for the actors, works or if it is simply distracting. In the second part of today’s episode, accompany Julia on a deep dive into the recent report on the top ten grossing films of all time – where fantasy titles dominate. And a...

In this episode of Mythmakers, join Julia Golding for a review of the newly released full-cast production of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone from Pottermore and Audible. Does this reimagined version enhance the magic, or distract from the original charm? Tune in to hear Julia’s take on the production quality, narration choices, and ultimately whether this edition is worth adding to your audiobook library, along with a couple of unexpected mentions of Mr. Darcy and Dr. House! (00:05) Har...

Netflix is bringing The Chronicles of Narnia back to our screens with Greta Gerwig at the helm for the first two films in the series. Interestingly, the adaptation begins with The Magician’s Nephew, opting for chronological order rather than the order in which the books were written. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker dive into what we know so far about the creative direction of the films, and what Gerwig’s involvement might mean for this and future instalments, it’s...

Big news for Tolkien fans was the release of Andy Serkis unabridged version of The Lord of the Rings with Harper Collins on Audible. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding reviews the recording, comparing it to the BBC dramatised version from 1981 and the Robert Inglis reading of 1990. Which version has the best songs? Who dares to dip into the appendices? Is there a rival to Andy's Gollum? Julia concludes with recommendations as to which might suit you and your listening needs. (00:05) Ex...

Where would you rate The Return of the King in the trilogy? Join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker on today's episode of Mythmakers as they take a deep dive into the script and movie-making choices of the adaptation of the concluding part of The Lord of the Rings. What are your perfect moments - and your fails? Julia and Jacob disagree over one big scene - whose side are you on? Where are the opportunities for future filmmakers if they want to put their own stamp on the material? To conclude we p...

Middle films are always the most difficult. In this episode Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker continue their reconsideration of the Peter Jackson trilogy, turning their attention to The Two Towers. They consider the perfect moments and the fails, with one serious criticism which could definitely to revisited if a filmmaker takes it on again. Remember with them the wonder of Rohan, the storming of Isengard, and the introduction of Gollum. What was the big fail? It jarred at the time but now seems ...

20 years from now someone somewhere will surely be considering having another go at The Lord of the Rings on film. In this episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding is joined by academic and Tolkien fan Jacob Rennaker to look back at the Peter Jackson adaptation of The Fellowship of the Ring, considering the script choices and casting, the cuts and the visual realisation. What were the moments that could not be bettered, and where is the room for a new creative to have another go? Have a listen and s...

Is this film a hit or miss? Did the New Zealand team, led by Phillippa Boyens, Japanese director Kenji Kamiyama and Executive Producer Peter Jackson, deliver? That's the question that preoccupies Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker today as they dissect their response to The War of the Rohirrim, in the Season 7 debut episode of Mythmakers. Listen in to their nuanced account of the good and less than great parts of the film, and stay tuned for what they believe is the biggest challenge faced by the ...

Have you enjoyed The Rings of Power Season 2? Join Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker on today’s episode of Mythmakers as they offer their thoughts on the latest season of Amazon’s show. After sharing their initial impressions on the production and visual realisation, they delve deeper into the story choices, lore, and characters, before wrapping up with a rating out of 10 rings (what else would it be?). Along the way, they explore some controversial topics—does The Rings of Power have a female ch...

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to be a letter writer?

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to be a horse lord?

Amazon has released its teaser trailer and the first 'behind the scenes' video of The Rings of Power: Season 2. Join Julia Golding on today’s episode of Mythmakers to find out what appears to be included in this upcoming season. Do you share our hopes and fears that this series might not regain its mojo? Is it too sprawling, as Julia believes, or do you appreciate the epic scope? Let us know your thoughts! For the trailer breakdown by Nerd of the Rings visit the link: https://youtu.be/TfddhM-LMn...

Very excitingly, Peter Jackson and Andy Serkis have announced that they are teaming up for a new film: The Hunt for Gollum. Join us on today’s episode of Mythmakers where Julia Golding will take us through the material that they will be drawing on and what the story possibilities are in this LotR prequel. Don't forget to let us know what you'd like to see included in the film! Since recording this episode, the fan-made film that Julia speaks about has been allowed back on YouTube by Warner Bros ...

Netflix’s 3 Body Problem has raised some questions as to whether or not it is right to move a story’s adaptation to a different country. Is it cultural appropriation or a justifiable reinterpretation? On today’s episode of Mythmakers, we’re taking a journey through Blade Runner, Matilda, and Wonka to HG Wells. Join the discussion as Julia Golding considers the pros and cons of moving a story to another cultural context. For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, ...

What makes for a good adaptation of a beloved book series? Today on Mythmakers, Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker discuss the latest fantasy series to undergo a significant adaptation: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. What are the strengths of the book? What went wrong - or right - in the movie adaptation in 2010? And what has Disney made of the challenge, particularly as this time Rick Riordan, the author, was part of the production team? Join us for this intriguing discussion! For more in...

On today’s episode of Mythmakers, Julia Golding reviews the latest Netflix fantasy film offering: Damsel, starring Millie Bobby Brown. Take a listen and see if you agree with her verdict! We’ll take a moment to think about the modern version of fairytale heroines - are they really so original? For more information on the Oxford Centre for Fantasy, our writing courses, and to check out our awesome social media content visit: Website: https://centre4fantasy.com/website Instagram: https://centre4fa...

The Oscars are fast approaching and we’re starting off Season 5 of Mythmakers with Julia Golding and Jacob Rennaker discussing the intriguing history of awards and fantasy films. It may not be true that fantasy films don't receive recognition, but which ones tend to attract the votes? And why don't performances in fantasy films receive many nominations? Join us for a deep dive back in time to see which films and performances we would nominate! What would be your pick?... For more information on ...

We interrupt our 4-part Inklings series to bring you our honest review of the Lord of the Rings musical on today’s Mythmakers episode! Join us as Julia Golding reviews the revival of The Lord of the Rings musical at the Watermill Theatre and draws some comparisons with The Rings of Power series. What is the ideal approach to adaptations of Tolkien’s material? Is a smaller scale preferable to grandeur? Why did the musical originally fail when it was on at Drury Lane in 2007, but now has raving re...

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place to assemble a team?

Where in all the fantasy worlds is the best place for a dungeon?

Julia Golding and Tolkien experts Jacob Rennaker and Paula Kalamaras hosted the second exclusive Readathon livestream event on completion of our latest Readathon, featuring The Silmarillion. Our participants tested their Tolkien knowledge in our quiz, we looked back at the past few weeks of our Readathon, and we announced our December Readathon topic! Watch now to find out what we'll be reading next. Visit https://oxfordcentreforfantasy.org/mythmakers