After directing two Best Picture nominees in three years,Edward Bergerhas been proverbially called up to the big leagues. Now regarded as one of our signature contemporary directors followingAll Quiet on the Western FrontandConclave, Berger will have the glorious task of adapting a novel stuck in development hell for 25 years. Luckily, he is signed on with the strongest brand name for cinematic excellence inA24. Most crucially, however,Berger’s upcoming film,The Riders, is attached toBrad Pitt, who is set to lead this film, based on a 1994 book of the same name byTim Winton. For decades,various directors and actors have been trying to get this off the ground, but at the end of the day, it’s only when you have the highest star power in Pitt that luck finally turns in your favor.
Development of ‘The Riders’ Began in 2000
With everyone watchingConclavein thewake of the death of Pope Francis, Berger has been on the mind—whose 2024 papal drama, based on a novel byRobert Harrisabout the election of a new head of the Catholic Church, won the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay. Berger seems to be inspired by literature in his creative vision, as his previous film, a new take onErich Maria Remarque’sAll Quiet on the Western Front, is one of the most famous pieces of fictional writing on war.With his post-Oscar cachet, the German director has his sights onThe Riders, a novel that has eluded many directors before him.Winton’s book follows a man who moved to Ireland with his family, only to undergo an extensive rescue for his missing wife. Pitt, the star of the upcomingJoseph Kosinskifilm,F1, taking his talents to A24 shows just how far this indie studio has come. His production company, Plan B Entertainment, helped produce notable A24 films likeMoonlightandMinari.
Upon receiving mass critical acclaim, including a Booker Prize for Fiction,The Riderswas quickly sought after for a screen adaptation. In 2000, the film rights weresecured by producerSusie Brooks-Smithunder Cylo Film, a UK production company.It wasn’t until 2012 that an adaptation wouldfinally see the light of day, asSam Worthington, hot off the success ofAvatar, was cast in the lead role as Fred Scully (a coincidentally very similar surname tohisAvatarcharacter, Jake Sully).Timothy SpallandCharles Dancewere also cast in the film. Directed byRobert Connolly,The Riderswas set to shoot in 2013 and release the following year.
After this failed to launch, producershit the reset buttonand found a new director and cast, withHans Fabian Wullenweberreplacing Connolly. Although Spall would remain on board,Ronan Keating,Mark Strong, andLiam Hemsworthwould replace Worthington and Dance.Not long after,plans were scrapped again, this time withJahmil X.T. Qubekabrought on to direct a new cast featuringLiam McIntyre,Pixie Davies, andRichard E. Grant.
The Riders' chances of receiving the big screen treatment appeared to be permanently stagnant. Suddenly, in 2018,David Kajganich—frequent writer and producer forLuca Guadagnino—wasset to adapt Winton’s award-winning novelnow that the book rights were in the hands of Ridley Scottand Scott Free Productions. Scott became interested once Kajganich, who worked with him on theAMC seriesThe Terror, pursued him to produce a film adaptation. This time, however, no star ever became attached, and this became just another failed effort to realize this novel for the silver screen. Unlike most attempts to reignite production ofThe Riders, Kajganich and Scottwill be sticking around in their respective roles in the upcoming Berger-Pitt film,which is expected to begin production in early 2026.
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At long last, after an interminable 25 years, it looks like we’re finally going to receive an adaptation ofThe Riders, but we’ve been through this rodeo before, so it’s anything but a certainty.When you have a fully-minted, globallyrenowned star in Brad Pitt, Hollywood greenlights things much faster than when your cast mostly includes British thespians.On the flip side, however, the never-ending struggle to adaptThe Ridersspeaks to the shifting tides in the industry. Since the dawn of Hollywood, cashing in on an acclaimed or best-selling book has been routine practice. As the industry has shifted to expanding upon brand recognition from franchises and IP,novel adaptations have sadly become less viable in their eyes.Luckily, Pitt is the rare name that can apparently lift all uncommercial projects from the abyss of development hell.
