Stephen Colbert is joining the team that is adapting Roger Zelazny’s “The Chronicles of Amber” for television.
Colbert will now executive produce the potential series under his Spartina production banner. Spartina joins Skybound Entertainment and Vincent Newman Entertainment (VNE) on the series version of the beloved fantasy novels, with Skyboudn first announcing their intention to develop the series back in 2016. The books have been cited as an influence on “Game of Thrones,” with author George R.R. Martin recently stating he wanted to see the books brought to the screen.
“George R.R. Martin and I have similar dreams,” Colbert said. “I’ve carried the story of Corwin in my head for over 40 years, and I’m thrilled to partner with Skybound and Vincent Newman to bring these worlds to life. All roads lead to Amber, and I’m happy to be walking them.”
“The Chronicles of Amber” follows the story of Corwin, who is said to “awaken on Earth with no memory, but soon finds he is a prince of a royal family that has the ability to travel through different dimensions of reality (called ‘shadows’) and rules over the one true world, Amber.”
The story is told over ten books with two story arcs: “The Corwin Cycle” and “The Merlin Cycle.” The series has sold more than fifteen million copies globally.
“Adapting one of my favorite book series of all time is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream. Producing it alongside someone like Stephen Colbert, who is a true-blue super fan, is a thrill for me, and will be for anyone who’s ever listened to Stephen talk about fantasy,” said David Alpert, CEO, Skybound Entertainment. “We can’t wait to share this amazing story both with the legion of current fans like ourselves and a new generation of fans that will undoubtedly fall for Amber.”
The search is currently on for a writer to tackle the adaptation. No network or streamer is currently attached. Colbert and Spartina are currently under a first-look deal at CBS Studios, but they are not currently the studio behind the series.
“Having Stephen Colbert and his Spartina team join our cause is both a privilege and a thrill,” said Newman. “Stephen, Spartina and the good folks at Skybound are as true of fans of Amber as they are prolific storytellers. I couldn’t ask for a better dream team of partners as we bring the Amber universe to audiences around the globe.”
Colbert executive produces for Spartina along with Carrie Byalick, Evelyn McGee Colbert, and Tom Purcell. Robert Kirkman, Alpert, and Rick Jacobs executive produce for Skybound, with Newman executive producing for VNE.
