Big news! The Merlin movie project has moved to a fabulous new studio: Warner Brothers. After several years at Paramount (surviving three management changes at the studio), The Lost Years of Merlin is now at WB (the same studio that has given us, in recent years, a series of films about another young wizard named Harry).

I’m delighted to tell you that there is tremendous enthusiasm for this project at the studio, from creative executives through top management. These are wonderful people — folks who share my passion for Merlin, and who see the potential power of this saga as a movie.

The script has been written by Simon Kinberg, the screenwriter behind the Sherlock Holmes film with Robert Downey Junior and X-Men 3.

The Hollywood process is excruciatingly slow and frustrating, but T. A. Barron seems dedicated to ensuring that his series will one day make it to the big screen.

“The Lost Years of Merlin” Movie Moves to Warner Brothers is a post from Fantasy Folder

No longer just an unknown little lizard, Basil is now as big as a mountain—and the most powerful dragon of all times. His majestic wings, gigantic tail, and jewel-bright eyes fill the sky as he and the great wizard Merlin, loyal friends and courageous defenders of Avalon, strive boldly to save their world.

Mr. Barron also assures everyone that the film adaptation of The Lost Years of Merlin is still happening, albeit at the glacial pace of the movie industry. Details are still scarce, save for the fact that Paramount is developing it.

Merlin’s Dragon: Doomraga’s Revenge Coming in September is a post from Fantasy Folder

The second book in the Merlin’s Dragon trilogy (which takes place after the Lost Years of Merlin) will be published in September 2009. It will be titled Doomraga’s Revenge.

The Lost Years of Merlin and Great Tree of Avalon are now available on CD. Listening Library has released the Merlin audiobooks on CD for the first time.

The Lost Years of Merlin movie is underway. The last we had heard Paramount had just picked up the option and was working with Barron to get things started. If you go to the Merlin – The Movie page on TABarron.com, you’ll see that some further details have been added. Lorenzo di Bonaventura, who worked on The Matrix, Transformers, and The Perfect Storm, will be producing. Screenwriter Simon Kinberg has written the script for Merlin (previous works include X-Men 3).

T. A. Barron News Spring 2009 is a post from Fantasy Folder

An excerpt from the book jacket:

Long ago, at the dawn of Merlin’s world, a strange little creature appeared. Part lizard, part bat, his eyes glowed with mysterious light. Meet Basil—someone very small in size but very large in destiny.

When Basil discovers a terrible new threat to his world and the great wizard Merlin, he begins an epic journey that takes him from the Great Tree of Avalon to the outermost edge of the spirit realm. But his boldest journey by far will be to face his own deepest fears. Only if he survives will he be able to save Merlin—and find a future as great as his heart.

In other news, the Lost Years of Merlin movie is definitely happening now. The last we had heard T. A. Barron had pitched the film to Paramount. According to Barron, the film has been picked up, and the film will happen. Barron says that he can’t give specifics yet, but he will “do everything [he] can to make this a film worthy of Merlin.”

Merlin’s Dragon by T. A. Barron Coming This September is a post from Fantasy Folder