Cormac McCarthy is writing John Hillcoat’s film adaptation of the brutal western BLOOD MERIDIAN

John Hillcoat (The street, lawless, triple 9) is set to fit Cormac McCarthyIt’s a crazy and brutal western Blood meridian. The director recently revealed that McCarthy is also writing the script. The two have previously collaborated on the film adaptation of The street.

Blood meridian it is considered by many to be one of the greatest American novels ever written, and the story is about the human scalping trade in the Southwest in the 1850s. It has been a very difficult film project for the filmmakers to get off the ground over the years, but Hillcoat has managed to make it happen.

Talking about how Hillcoat was able to move the project forward, the director said: “[Cormac McCarthy] he has become a dear, dear close friend. And over the years we’ve discussed how he lost control of Blood Meridian, and it was a common task to get it back because he knew how to decipher it. Many people have tried without his input.

Hillcoat also shared that a project telling this kind of story needed time to handle its transition from novel to screenplay. He added: “He’s really had the space to discuss it for over a decade or more. Actually, I think we’ve been discussing this for fifteen years. That let him out and I wouldn’t let him go.

He went on to say of McCarthy, “A book is a book and a movie is a movie. He understands that they are two different mediums, but the best you can do is capture the spirit of each. He started an adaptation himself. We talked about how to decipher it, really, because it’s a very ambitious book to decipher, as you can imagine.

The story is set in the mid-19th century along the Texas-Mexico border, following the harrowing journey of a young fugitive known as “The Kid” who joins a ruthless band of scalp hunters led by the sadistic Judge Holden.

The story takes place against the backdrop of the Glanton gang’s ruthless pursuit of scalps and riches, as they rampage across the unforgiving landscapes of the American Southwest. The gang is hired by the Mexican government to exterminate Native Americans, but their bloodlust and greed soon transcend their initial mission.

The story explores themes of violence, the nature of evil, and the fine line between civilization and savagery. The novel is characterized by its raw prose and visceral descriptions, depicting the gruesome realities of war and human cruelty. McCarthy’s vivid and haunting images capture the raw and gritty essence of the American frontier, while delving into the darker aspects of human nature.

Martin Scorsese, Ridley Scott, Tommy Lee Jones, Camp Todd, Michael HanekAND James Franco are some of the filmmakers who have been involved with the project over the years, but I think Hillcoat and McCarthy are the perfect creative team to make it happen.

Source: Deadline