I heard some news today which brought back the excitement I felt when I heard that there was to be a new book based upon the incomparable Shibimi by Trevanian.
Apparently Warner Bros. have acquired the rights to make Don Winslow's Satori (based upon Shibumi) into a movie. And they are in talks with Leonardo DiCaprio to star as Nicolai Hel. And there may be a series of movies (Nicolai Hel as the new Jason Bourne).
This is very exciting news: Nicolai Hel finally appearing on the big screen in a big budget blockbuster!
I hope and trust that Trevanian will get the credit he deserves for the creation of these fantastic characters and the basic plot into which Winslow weaved his story.
And I presume that if there is a series of movies then some of the other plots from Shibumi will be incorporated. And if the screenwriters are cognisant of this, then they should ensure that they iron out some of the mistakes in characterisation which Winslow made. Where there are differences, they should be sure to use Trevanian's Hel rather than Winslow's.
If this project comes to fruition, it will be the first Trevanian movie since "The Eiger Sanction" (1975) starring Clint Eastwood. Note: IMDB tells us that a movie entitled "Hot Night in the City" (based on the Trevanian short stories of the same name) was made in 2004. I am overlooking this as I have never seen the movie and have never managed to find out anything else about it.
Here are a few links:
Will Leonardo DiCaprio accept Don Winslow's Satori mission?
Warner Bros Acquires Post-WWII Don Winslow Novel ‘Satori’ For Leonardo DiCaprio