Patrick McHale Is Adapting Redwall And What That Might Look Like
It’s official. Netflix is adapting the Redwall book series by Brian Jacques, and there is much to discuss.
The project will be led by Patrick McHale, who is most famous for his Cartoon Network miniseries, “Over the Garden Wall.” Ten episodes follow a pair of half-brothers as they wander through a dark fairy-tale-like forest to find their way home.
The show has an immersive quality through its beautiful artwork, enchanting music, and other-worldly characters. It’s found a well-deserved cult following since premiering in 2014.
The same day as Netflix’s press release regarding Redwall, McHale simply Tweeted the words “...i - am that is..." (no spoilers, but fans will understand) with a mouse holding a sword. A quick glance at the comment section will indicate the hype for the project is very real.
...i - am that is... pic.twitter.com/Aau3o8bKHu
— Patrick McHale (@Patrick_McHale) February 10, 2021
The Redwall series follows woodland creatures in their established society—mice, moles, rats, foxes, hedgehogs, and other creatures—and the conflicts that follow. Think “Game of Thrones” meets “Beatrix Potter,” or perhaps “Lord of the Rings,” meets “Wind in the Willows.”
The events of the first book, "Redwall" will be covered in one film. “Netflix is also plotting a TV series based on the character Martin the Warrior, a wise and ferocious mouse who co-founded Redwall Abby along with Abbess Germaine,” according to Deadline.
In 1999 an animated show premiered on Canada’s Teletoon with three seasons covering books one, three, and six in the series. It aired on PBS in the US the following year.
This is the first time, however, that one franchise will own the rights to all 22 books. This means plenty of material and a rich history that could last Netflix at least a decade if given the proper nourishment.
Currently, everything is “in development,” which means there is a lot of time to analyze and speculate before the movie and show arrive.
Here are some theories on what the show might look like and what it might try to do… as well as some characters from the first book that would be wonderful to have in the adaptation.
Things to Consider as Patrick McHale Adapts Redwall
The first question, of course, this being a series full of animated animals, what will the style look like? Will the show take a cartoonish approach, or will the characters be more photorealistic?
Will McHale use a similar style as his animals in “Over the Garden Wall,” or choose something entirely new?
There’s also the question of size differences. Will foxes be as small as rats? Will rodents be anthropomorphic and clad in clothing while predators like cats, prowl on all-fours in nothing but fur?
Given the style of the Redwall book series, as well as McHale’s style, it’s likely the animals might have a more realistic approach, perhaps being just one level more cartoonish than Beatrix Potter illustrations.
How realistic the animals look might also indicate how dark the show will be willing to go.
Obviously, the series will be targeted for kids, if not always only viewed by them. Yet, Netflix as a streaming service will naturally have more freedom than children’s shows airing on network television.
One case indicative of this trend is Cartoon Network’s “Infinity Train.” While there were certainly intense moments and darker themes in the first two seasons, there were noticeably more intense moments in season three after the show moved solely to HBOMax.
It will be interesting to see how “Redwall” might handle a few onscreen deaths after so many… “on-page” deaths. It is, after all, a story about war.
The Best Supporting Characters from Redwall
Understandably, because of time constraints, some beloved characters may be cut. Here is a nice list just to remember the less-important ones, and to hype up the characters that certainly will be there.
Shadow the Rat
Shadow is a rat under Cluny’s army, who’s renowned for his climbing ability. The scene of him scaling up the Abby wall, and hiding in the dark almost undetectable was, forgive the pun, quite gripping. His “dense obsidian eyes” and his sneaking past guards “like a sinuous black lizard” are certain things the animators could have a lot of fun with.
Squire Julian Gingivere the Marmalade Cat
Julian is completely unlike any other of the Redwall characters in the first book. While certainly catlike, he is very much an anti-predator when compared with any of the larger animals in the cast.
His line delivery was particularly great in the audiobook narrated by Stuart Blinder. For the film, Billy Eichner or someone similar might be the perfect voice to cast.
Constance the Badger
Constance is certain to be the film. She's the lead voice of strategy for Abby’s side in the war, and the story wouldn’t be the same without her. Hopefully, as many of her iconic moments as possible make it into the movie, from lifting tables to turning the tides of war.
Cornflower the Mouse
Cornflower might easily be written off as simply the “love interest,” but there’s a lot to potentially look forward to with her. She will bring out the softer, more “human” side to Matthias, and her presents might allow for a few comedic scenes. In the book, she has an important heroic moment that may make it onto the screen. And yes, of course, it’ll be very cute to see the romance between her and Matthias.
Silent Sam the Squirrel
The young Silent Sam will likely pull in appeal for the youngest members of the audience. There is something understated about cartoon characters who can tell a story without words. Silent Sam will likely steal the scenes he’s in, though hopefully his book ending is rewritten a little, and (spoiler alert) he remains Silent Sam.
Basil Stag Hare
“Over the Garden Wall” had many great comedic moments, thanks largely in part to Greg’s antics. It would be difficult to imagine “Redwall” without Basil Stag Hare, and it’s likely he’ll be providing much of the comic relief. Here is where McHale’s writing style might shine through.
Asmodeus the Adder
What list of characters would be complete without this frightening villain? If McHale sets up the suspense and anticipation for Asmodeus half as well as he did for the Beast in “Over the Garden Wall,” then he is something to truly be feared indeed.
It should almost go without saying, but the greatest character moments to look forward to will be of course Cluny’s first reveal being as dramatic as possible, and Matthias being transformed from the mouse tripping over his sandals to the fearless warrior and hero his world needs.
It’s all very exciting to think about, and Netflix chose the perfect person to lead the project. Luckily, from now until the project is ready for public consumption, there are 22 books to read, three seasons of the old TV show to see, and everyone’s 178th rewatch of “Over the Garden Wall” to keep fans entertained in the meantime.
Opinions and Perspectives
Looking forward to seeing how they bring Redwall Abbey to life visually.
The worldbuilding opportunities with modern animation are exciting to think about.
Just glad someone who clearly loves the source material is in charge.
McHale's visual storytelling style could work perfectly for Redwall.
What I loved about the books was how they balanced serious moments with humor.
The blend of action and peaceful Abbey life will be interesting to see.
The way McHale handles atmosphere in his work makes him perfect for this.
Really hope they nail the sense of community that made the books special.
The old animated series had its charm but this could be something special.
Just finished Over the Garden Wall and now I'm even more excited for this!
The educational aspects of the Abbey life could be really interesting if done well.
As long as they keep true to the spirit of the books, I'll be happy.
The Abbey needs to feel like home to the viewers, just like it did in the books.
Wonder if they'll include any of the songs from the books? They were always fun.
Really hope they capture that cozy feeling the books had between all the action.
The transition from bumbling novice to warrior hero needs to feel earned.
They better not skip the feast descriptions. Those were half the fun!
Imagine what they could do with modern animation for those battle sequences!
The dialect writing for different species was so charming in the books. Hope they keep that.
Anyone else wondering how they'll handle the various animal sizes? That always confused me in the books.
I think McHale will nail the world-building aspects. That was one of Over the Garden Wall's strengths.
The relationship between Matthias and Cornflower needs to be handled well.
I'm curious about how they'll handle the spiritual elements from the books.
You all realize this could introduce a whole new generation to Redwall, right? That's pretty exciting!
Wonder if they'll include all those lovely songs and poems from the books.
The abbey architecture itself needs to feel like a character. It's such an important part of the story.
Can't wait to see how they handle the different species interactions and social dynamics.
Hoping they don't rush through the story just to get to the action scenes.
Think they'll keep all the riddles and puzzles from the books? Those were always fun.
The music will be crucial. Over the Garden Wall had such an amazing soundtrack.
Cornflower deserves more development than she got in the original animated series.
I actually think Netflix is the perfect platform for this. They won't have to worry about censorship as much.
The cooking scenes better be good. Those feast descriptions made me so hungry as a kid!
What about the accents? The moles had such distinct ways of speaking in the books.
Shadow the Rat's wall-climbing scene could be amazing with modern animation.
I just want them to get Cluny the Scourge right. He needs to be properly menacing.
True, but those were mostly background characters. This is different scale entirely.
Have you seen how McHale handled the animal characters in Over the Garden Wall? They were perfect!
McHale's tweet with that mouse and sword gave me goosebumps. He clearly understands what makes Redwall special.
Looking forward to seeing how they handle the feast scenes. Those food descriptions were always mouth-watering in the books!
The real challenge will be making the peaceful abbey life scenes as engaging as the action sequences.
Personally, I think Martin's story could make an amazing standalone series if done right.
I've got mixed feelings about Martin the Warrior getting his own series. His story works better as legend and flashbacks in my opinion.
Asmodeus still gives me chills when I think about that scene in the book. They better do it justice!
Wonder if they'll use British voice actors to keep that authentic feel from the books.
Really hoping they nail Constance the Badger's character. She was such a strong presence in the books.
Let's not forget these books had war, death, and some pretty intense moments. They shouldn't water that down too much.
I disagree about the darkness level needed. These books were meant for children after all.
Remember how dark Over the Garden Wall got sometimes? That's exactly what Redwall needs.
Just finished rereading Redwall and I can totally see why they picked McHale. His storytelling style would work perfectly for this world.
You're right about the art style, but I'm more concerned about how they'll handle the battle scenes with anthropomorphic animals.
The art style is going to make or break this adaptation. I trust McHale after seeing his work on Over the Garden Wall though.
The fact that Netflix has rights to all 22 books gives me hope they're in this for the long haul.
Not sure about splitting it between a movie and TV series. Wouldn't it be better to keep it all in one format?
I really hope they keep Basil Stag Hare's personality intact. He was always my favorite character with his witty remarks and endless appetite.
Anyone else curious about how they'll handle the size differences between the animals? That's going to be tricky to get right.
Been waiting for a proper Redwall adaptation my whole life. The old animated series was good but felt limited by its budget.
Actually worried about them making it too kid-friendly. The books had some pretty dark moments that really added to the story.
I'm so excited about this adaptation! Over the Garden Wall was brilliant, so McHale seems like the perfect choice for Redwall.