Disney Reviving Ray Bradbury’s ‘Something Wicked This Way Comes’

By the pricking of my thumbs ... according to an exclusive over at Deadline, Disney is making yet another film version on the Ray Bradbury classic novel, "Something Wicked This Way Comes." In 1983, Disney released a film adaption of the novel that tells the story of traveling carnival owner, Mr. Dark. In the thriller, however, Mr. Dark doesn't just want to take you money in exchange for rides and popcorn, he'll grant your darkest dream in exchange for your soul. Beware those Autumn carnivals!

Although I remember loving the film, when I read the book I noticed several differences and so did 38-year-old Seth Grahame-Smith, who will be making his feature directorial debut on the project. According to Deadline, "Grahame-Smith said it was his favorite book as a child, but he doesn’t feel the movie is sacrosanct. Although the late Bradbury wrote the script, he later lamented that the movie lost a lot of the book. Grahame-Smith intends to put it back and plug a new generation into the tale."

Grahame-Smith revealed, “I have been so crazy about this book, and it was such a formative title in my life that I actually wrote a piece on NPR about why it is so important for young males to read. It is a classic coming-of-age, father-son story about the transition from childhood to adulthood and how kids can’t wait to be adults and adults romanticize their childhoods. I’m not remaking the movie; I want the haunted atmosphere that makes the book so chilling, and I want to reinstate some of the classic scenes from the book that were missing from the ’83 film.” Well this is great news for fans of the novel!

After Grahame-Smith writes a treatment for the film, the studio will hire the writer and Deadline adds that Grahame-Smith and David Katzenberg’s KatzSmith Productions will be the producing banner and Katzenberg will produce the film.

The film is obviously in its early stages, but we'll be sure to keep you updated. The trailer for the 1983 film starring the late Jason Robards is below for you to check out.



-Larissa Mrykalo

Remembering Ray Bradbury, 1920-2012

I have been at a loss of words trying to express over the loss of a great wordsmith.

Ray Bradbury, who died Tuesday night at age 91, was a creator, guided by his demon muse, who took my imagination on journeys near and far. For a long time I thought of Bradbury as one of my favorite science fiction authors, but eventually my thought process evolved (thanks, in part, to Bradbury himself) to re-categorize him as just one of my favorite authors. Period. While he was indeed a master of science fiction, he was also a great fantasy and paranormal writer as well. If you've not done so, you'd be wise to pass a couple summer days reading Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, and Something Wicked This Way Comes.


Unfortunately, I never had the opportunity to meet Ray Bradbury (nor Kurt Vonnegut Jr. or Isaac Asimov, two other iconic favorites of mine), but I felt like I knew him. Or, more appropriately, like he knew me.

However, I did want to take this opportunity to allow a man who knew Ray well to weigh in on his legacy. Writer/Producer Marc Zicree (Star Trek – The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5 and bestsellers including The Twilight Zone Companion and Magic Time trilogy) was a friend and mentee of Bradbury and had this to say, in a released statement yesterday:

"He was and will always be a great man, a great inspiration and a great friend. I wish you all a mentor with the heart, soul, vision and brilliance of this irreplaceable man ... When Abraham Lincoln died, his Secretary of State said, ‘Now he belongs to the Ages' ... Now Ray belongs to the future ..."

Marc Zicree also released this list of lessons he learned from Ray Bradbury:

• Get up and write, five days a week.
• If you need help getting your work done, reach out to those who love you. They want to help.
• Take time off on the weekend. Be with those you love.
• Live from love, work from love, and do everything else from love.
• Find joy in every day, every hour, every moment.
• Save everything that matters to you, and keep it within reach.
• Get out into the world, no matter how difficult.
• Laugh at what limits you. It pits your life force against the darkness. (This doesn’t mean you can’t be pissed off at it, too.)
• At the same time, always keep fighting to be and do your best.
• Never sell out, and don’t suffer those who have.
• Do everything with gusto.
• Take naps.
• Help your friends, and view everyone with compassion.
• Stand up for yourself. Modesty is not a strength.
• Answer your own phone.
• Mourn for those who are gone and don’t forget them, but don’t bury yourself with them.
• Cry easily. It’s not a weakness.
• Never grow up. At least, not in the areas where it counts.
• Stay curious about everything.

-Aaron Sagers