It was revised and reprinted in his recent book of essays Maps and Legends

By the time it finally hits the screen, I will have hundreds of funny, snarky one-liners ready to throw at the audience.

Can't wait!

I finished my second reading of The Road last night, and I was just as terrified, moved, and enraged by it as I was the first time, if not moreso. I have to disagree with the original post that it will not translate well into a movie. I think any novel that offers up as much as tihs one lends itself well to film. He describes the landscapes, the dialouge, and the actions with such simple precision that it's hard not not picture it as a movie in your head.

I'd also have to disagree with whomever posted that it will be similar to Assassination of Jesse James in that it will be a visual poem to likely be appreciated no more than once. Again, with the melding of genres without deliberately switching from one to another, I think, if done well, this movie, like "No Country", could be enjoyed or at least analyzed as a dark drama, a post-apocalyptic sci-fi thriller, a harrowing adventure, and dare I say it, a family film (this genre should not be exclusive to Disney and Pixar but could and should exist on a more mature level).

So the marketability for this film should not be tough after "No Country's" success. There are McCarthy's loyal following, horror fans (comic con wouldn't be a bad idea because they'd definitely be in for a different kind of sci-fi/horror movie, the first convention when they left weeping, changed in some way). Yes, the Oprah Book Club, fans of Viggo, parents who feel that they cannot ever express how much love they have for their kids (it should be done quite literaly many times in the book, so hopefully the film), those who chase the Oscar contenders, it almost seems limitless.

So I suppose (now that the film has officially been "completed") the real question isn't how to market it to whom but rather when to market it to everyone. Even those who read the book and feel doom for the film will likely want to see it to match their own visions and interpretations of the book to what's on the screen.

Funny comment about Killshot. I believe I rented Collateral (or something roundabout that year, possibly even older) and saw a preview for Killshot. I wonder now how after successes like Jackie Brown, 3:10 to Yuma, etc., how Elmore Leonard film adaptations sit on the shelf. especially from the director of an Oscar-winning film (Shakespeare in Love) and starring Oscar-nominated actors (Diane Lane and especially Mickey Rourke in the wake of "Wrestler"mania) and fan favorites Thomas Jane and Joseph Gordon Levit (who I think has an incredibly bright future, even if GI Joe blows).

My apologies for the lengthiness of this post, but I am a fan of McCarthy's work, and I loved No Country For Old Men as a film, so I wonder why some of these producers, studio execs, etc. feel that they do not have to have any professional integrity toward those who will ultimately pay this films debts: the fans. Some waiting eagerly, some dreading the day, but with the hype, it seems like we'll all se it.

I agree that the SF fan demographic is a smart one to market to. The problem is, you have, in general, two kinds of movie fans in that demographic – the people who worship movies like The Dark Knight and the people who want something a little more thoughtful like Children of Men. My perception is that people who go to ComicCon are generally after the big sprawling movies with lots of special effects. That's not The Road.

Depending on the focus of The Road, it can be a horror movie (there are certainly some memorably horrific images in the book), but I don't think those scenes are going to be emphasized the way they are in movies like The Saw (which, I admit, I've never seen). I have a feeling the writer and the producers don't want the term "horror" associated with it, any more than they'd want "science fiction" associated with it.

Just as an added note: I don't think it should necessarily premiere or even screen at Comic Con, but I think a presence there — such as a panel — would be a wise investment since the story (if it's true to the book, and I have no doubt it is) is a horror film when you get down to it… and fanboys (or girls) is a smart demographic to market to.

I've always felt that this film needed to come out at some of the film festivals, particularly Toronto, before it had a general release. The book is brilliant. Everyone I've talked to about the movie (and, living in Pittsburgh, I've talked to a bunch of folks from the crew over the last year) have extremely positive things to say about the acting, the script and the look of the movie. But it's not exactly a "crowd pleaser" in the way that Slumdog Millionaire, despite its pockets of violence and child abuse, turned out to be. It's the sort of movie with the right marketing could be something like the next Million Dollar Baby or The Unforgiven or Silence of the Lambs – a quiet, intense movie that collects awards and a reasonable box office. But it's highly unlikely to be a blockbuster.

I also felt that a Thanksgiving weekend national release was a horrible idea; it needs to come out in the fall but not on a holiday weekend.

So I haven't quite given up hope that the Weinsteins will realize what a gem they have. The snippets of photos and music that have come out look very promising. Most comments about the screenings have been positive.

I'd rather not see this premiered at ComicCon, though that's a strong personal bias. Nothing against fanboys (hell, I've been a fangirl myself for many years) but this is too quiet a movie for ComicCon. If the Weinsteins wanted a screening at Worldcon…they'd have an extremely appreciative audience up in Montreal this August. But I know that won't happen either – they apparently don't want to "sully" their movie with the term "science fiction" despite the fact it's a post-apocalyptic movie! It would be like telling Hillcoat that The Proposition really isn't a Western because it was shot in Australia!

I've run into a number of women who don't consider themselves fangirls who've either liked the book or liked Viggo, so I think you might get a few more women in the theater to see this than the distributors think.

Oh, and it's not that the official Web site for The Road is "bland," it's still, over four months over its launch, completely and utterly blank.

They've already reprinted tje book, with the movie tie-in covers, so really, there's no reason to hold off on releasing the movie, except for the greed of maybe a few more Oscars.}:/

Ouch!
It's funny, but maybe a little unnecessary.
Other than that dig at people who keep movie websites (like this one) in business I agree with every iota of this piece and cannot wait for this movie to see daylight sometime in 2017.