Disney orders new ‘Merlin’ movie based on T.A. Barron’s novels

T.A. Barron’s Merlin Saga is being brought to the big screen by Disney!

The American fantasy author’s hit series of twelve novels for young adults was written over a 15 year period.

Launching in 1996 with The Lost Years of Merlin, which tells the tale of the legendary wizard’s youth, the series ended with The Book of Magic in 2011.

The project was previously being developed by Gladiator director Ridley Scott, who recently returned with his medieval epic The Last Duel.

However, Scott has now reportedly “parted ways due to his busy schedule,” Deadline reports.

The 83-year-old is currently working on a new World War II series with the creator of Peaky Blinders, as well as numerous other movies and series.

Disney’s new Merlin movie will now be directed by South African filmmaker Michael Matthews (Love and Monsters).

The latest draft of the script is being written by Chris Weitz.

Weitz is the screenwriter behind 2015’s live-action Cinderella film, 2007’s adaptation of The Golden Compass, and Disney’s upcoming Pinocchio movie.

He also wrote and directed Hugh Grant’s romantic comedy About a Boy in 2002.

The legend of King Arthur is popular source material for movies and TV series, most recently seen in Netflix’s Cursed, and Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword movie in 2017.

Cursed was sadly cancelled by Netflix earlier this year after just one season.

Disney’s Merlin is expected to arrive in cinemas and on Disney+ in 2023 or 2024.

Further details and casting news will be announced in due course.

The movie will have a tough job to beat Colin Morgan’s much-loved Merlin series, which ran for five seasons on BBC One from 2008 to 2012.

All five seasons of the BBC’s Merlin series are available to watch on Amazon Prime Video.