Michael Connelly reveals his thoughts on the upcoming LINCOLN LAWYER film

As I've said recently, along with all the books I am looking forward to in 2011, there are a also a few films that I can't wait to see. And perhaps the one I am most excited about is THE LINCOLN LAWYER, based on the superb Michael Connelly book of the same name.

You can watch Michael Connelly discuss some aspects of writing the book, and the film adaptation, in a brief but interesting YouTube piece above.

Although book-to-film adaptations don't always go well, and can fall very flat at times, I am hopeful about this film for a number of reasons, including the trailer, the stellar cast, and the fact that when I interviewed him late last year Connelly himself seemed very happy with the script adaptation, and how it was looking (having been on set). So fingers crossed THE LINCOLN LAWYER delivers.

You can watch the first trailer here, and also read some comments from Connelly to me about the movie. You can also read my Weekend Herald feature interview with Connelly here, and his 9mm interview here.

Are you looking forward to THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Have you read the book? What crime novels would you most like to see turned into films?

Anticipation building for THE LINCOLN LAWYER film

Well, along with all the books I am looking forward to in 2011, there are a also a few films that I can't wait to see. And perhaps the one I am most excited about is THE LINCOLN LAWYER, based on the superb Michael Connelly book of the same name. And it seems I'm not the only one - film critics are already starting to list it on must-see or most promising movies of 2011 lists.

Although book-to-film adaptations don't always go well, and can fall very flat at times, I am hopeful about this film for a number of reasons, including the trailer, the stellar cast, and the fact that when I interviewed him late last year Connelly himself seemed very happy with the script adaptation, and how it was looking (having been on set). So fingers crossed THE LINCOLN LAWYER delivers.

You can watch the first trailer here, and also read some comments from Connelly to me about the movie. You can read my NZ Herald article on Connelly here, and his 9mm interview here.

Are you looking forward to THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Have you read the book? What crime novels would you most like to see turned into films?

The Lincoln Lawyer film trailer, plus exclusive comments from Michael Connelly about the film and his next book

Well, I don't know about you, but to me this is looking very, very promising. A truly terrific supporting cast (I was just going 'wow' with all those quality names - really good actors rather than vapid stars), and personally I think Matthew McConaughey will do really, really well as Mickey Haller. I know a lot of people associate him with some sappy, crappy rom-coms, but I've always liked his performances in more dramatic films like A Time to Kill, and especially Frailty, so I am really looking forward to seeing his portrayal of Haller.

I spoke to Michael Connelly about the upcoming film in our recent interview for the Weekend Herald. It was a terrific interview overall actually - 90mins of chatting about crime writing and more. Unfortunately of course only about 10-20 % of such an interview can ever make it into the eventual article, because of space constraints.

You can read the Weekend Herald feature article here.

But in terms of the upcoming film, here's what Michael Connelly had to say (direct from the interview transcript):

I understand they’re working on a film of THE LINCOLN LAWYER with Matthew McConaughey in the lead. Can you tell us more?
Yeah, we started filming in early July, and it will be done in two weeks. I’m going out this weekend to visit the set for a couple of days. I’ve already been out a couple of times in July, and the script’s really good, I’m very happy with the casting, and also I saw some of the very important scenes… and I’m just so excited. I think that McConaughey, when I wrote these books I never imagined McConaughey, but I think he’s really nailed the character, he is Mickey - and I’m not just this guy who’s trying to promote a movie that’s bad, I wouldn’t do that. I didn’t do that for Blood Work, and if this movie when it’s all put together is bad, I will [stay] away from it. But as of right now I’m riding the wave of excitement because you know it all starts with the script. And the script started out as a so-so script and it kept getting better in rewrites - and I didn’t write it so I’m not tooting my own horn here - but it’s just all come together. It’s got a fabulous cast, at least ten deep, it’s got great people in it.

… [McConaughey's] got that Haller thing [dark edge with smile and humour], and he kind of established himself and then went down that road with romantic comedies, and I think at least with this movie he’s trying to swing things back a little more towards more serious stuff. And I’m very happy he’s playing Mickey.

The film is scheduled to hit US cinemas in March 2011, and when I spoke to Connelly he mentioned that his publishers had recently moved up the release date of his next title to coincide with the movie's release - so great news for readers as well as film fans. The next Connelly book (as of when I spoke to him) has the working title of THE FIFTH WITNESS, and is another Mickey Haller book, with Harry Bosch only making a cameo appearance. It is scheduled for release at the start of April 2011. Here's what Connelly had to say about the upcoming book in our recent interview:

Are you able to tell us anything about the book you’re working on at the moment?
The working title is THE FIFTH WITNESS, which is a reference to a witness taking the fifth amendment because they don’t want to answer questions that could incriminate them. It’s a Mickey Haller book, Harry Bosch is not in it - well he’s in it for a page, he makes a cameo appearance - it’s definitely a straight Mickey Haller book. And it involves a defence - in my country because of the sliding economy there’s a national epidemic on foreclosures, and there’s all kinds of fraud involved in that on both sides of the equation, and it’s something that is fascinating to me. It’s the subject matter of the book - Mickey defends a woman who is charged with the murder of a banker who is foreclosing on her home. And through this case and the trial that ensues, I hope to examine what is a pretty epidemic size issue in the United States.

What do you think of the film trailer? Do you think you will go to see it? Have you read THE LINCOLN LAWYER? Do you like Connelly's legal thrillers as well as his Bosch books? What do you think of the sound of his next Haller novel? Thoughts and comments appreciated.