Kids actioner "Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker," a Brit import that co-stars Ewan McGregor, Alicia Silverstone, and Bill Nighy, opens this week — and according to the film’s star and writer, could be only the first of seven "Alex Rider" books to get the big-screen treatment.
Screenwriter-novelist Anthony Horowitz and 16-year-old star Alex Pettyfer were in town at the Toronto Film Festival, where "Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker" had its North American debut (after premiering this summer in the U.K., where Horowitz’s teen spy book series is insanely popular with the middle school set). "Operation Stormbreaker," the first of the books, introduces the world to Alex Rider, a 14-year-old schoolboy reluctantly recruited by British intelligence agency MI6. Horowitz already has five successful "Alex Rider" sequel novels and is currently penning the sixth. Are there plans to make all seven books into films, a la "Harry Potter?"
Alex Pettyfer plays teen spy Alex Rider (and gets to do his own stunts) in "Operation Stormbreaker"
"Well, the seventh novel is on it’s way," Horowitz told us. "I don’t know any writer at the Toronto Film Festival who goes home at night and starts writing, but "Snakehead" is being written now. The hope for us all is that there will be several more Alex Rider movies. Obviously, the success of the first one is…you know, we’ll know October 7 if there’s going to be another Alex Rider movie."
"But I think everyone," Horowitz continued, "that is to say, the Weinsteins, and [producers] the Samuelsons, and myself, and Alex as well, are all in there to keep going. You know, we’ve got six great books, so hopefully we’ll have six great movies!"
Alex Pettyfer and Anthony Horowitz, at the Toronto Film Festival
Click here to read more of the interview with Alex Pettyfer and Anthony Horowitz, including talk of the production, rival teen spy flicks, Horowitz’s "Kill Bill" influence, and action choreography by Hong Kong maestro Donnie Yen!
"Alex Rider: Operation Stormbreaker" hits U.S. theaters October 6 and co-stars Alicia Silverstone, Ewan McGregor, Bill Nighy, Stephen Fry, Sophie Okonedo, Mickey Rourke, Robbie Coltrane, Missi Pyle, and Andy Serkis.
