Cormac McCarthy’s ‘Blood Meridian’ Being Adapted by ‘Gladiator’ Writer John Logan

Brian Welk
·3 min read
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Cormac McCarthy’s “Blood Meridian” has been one of the trickiest classic novels to adapt for the screen, but it now has a three-time Oscar nominee who may finally crack it.

John Logan, the writer of “Gladiator,” “The Aviator,” “Sweeney Todd,” “Skyfall,” and the upcoming Michael Jackson biopic “Michael,” has been tapped to adapt “Blood Meridian” into a feature film.

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Last year, New Regency announced it was developing a feature film based on the 1985 Western novel, and the studio attached John Hillcoat — who previously directed McCarthy’s “The Road” — to direct the film. Hillcoat is also directing and producing “Blood Meridian” alongside Keith Redmon for New Regency.

Cormac McCarthy is getting a posthumous executive producer credit on the film, and his son John Francis McCarthy is also serving as an EP.

“Blood Meridian” is based on historical conflicts along the Texas-Mexico border in the 1850s. The story follows the journey of The Kid, a 14-year-old from Tennessee, as he navigates the brutal and harrowing landscape of this new era. The book initially received mixed reviews and lukewarm sales but has since been reevaluated as a classic and a subversive work in the Western genre.

Everyone from Tommy Lee Jones, Ridley Scott, James Franco, and Todd Field have all tried to adapt the book’s graphic content and introspective narrative, but none have come to fruition despite adaptations of other McCarthy books, including “No Country for Old Men,” “The Road,” and “All the Pretty Horses.”

“’Blood Meridian’ has been one of my favorite novels since first reading it in 1985,” Logan said in a statement. “It’s a majestic, beautiful and uncompromising book and I’m thrilled to be able to help bring Cormac McCarthy’s dark masterpiece to the screen.”

“‘Blood Meridian’ is one of the most revered novels in American literature, from one of the greatest writers,” New Regency CEO Yariv Milchan and Natalie Lehmann, its president of Motion Pictures and Television, said in a statement. “We knew we needed a very special talent to be able to adapt this seminal book and John Logan was our first choice. His prolific talent and remarkable track record consistently demonstrate his ability to transform cherished stories and texts into cinematic accomplishments.”

“After years of dreaming and scheming about adapting this great work into a movie, after years of discussing adaptation ideas with Cormac, we are excited to have the writer John Logan weigh in with his passion and understanding of Cormac’s sensibility, to help bring ‘Blood Meridian’ the movie to fruition,” Hillcoat added.

“It’s incredibly exciting to have John Logan on board. Very reassuring in the seemingly long list of good news concerning what was originally such an intimidating undertaking,” John Francis McCarthy said.

Logan won the Tony Award for his play “Red” and is also a Golden Globe, WGA, and BAFTA winner. His “Michael” opens in theaters April 18, 2025.

Upcoming on New Regency’s slate is “The Bikeriders” starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer, and Tom Hardy via Focus Features, Steve McQueen’s “Blitz” for Apple TV+, and an untitled Elon Musk documentary from director Alex Gibney on HBO.

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