Joe Abercrombie on The Devils adaptation: "Never hold your breath with these things"

Last year, it was announced director James Cameron had snatched up the adaptation rights to author Joe Abercrombie's recent grimdark fantasy novel known as The Devils. This story is the beginning of the latest series from The First Law creator, with the next instalment on its way and regarded as The Heretics.

With The Devils soon set to become a feature-length flick, we had the chance to speak with Abercrombie as part of the recent Celsius 232 festival in Avilés, Spain, where we got an update on the project exclusively from the creative mastermind behind the source material, with this following an update he shared during a panel at the convention.

"So James Cameron bought the rights to The Devils a year or two ago when the book first came out. And so all I can really say is we're working on it. These things always move very, very slowly and when you're involved with someone like him, it's amazing to have that kind of weight behind it and that creative power behind it. But at the same time, it has to move at his pace, and he has lots of other things going on. And so it moves in fits and starts when the eye of Sauron returns to your project, you know?

"And so it is moving, but never hold your breath with these things. I've learned over time, there's no guarantees. You just have to do the best you can at each stage and hope that it all comes together."

While you can read The Devils today by snagging a copy of the book, for a taste of what the story offers and what the eventual (or perhaps hopeful) adaptation will bring, the official synopsis can also be seen below.

"Brother Diaz has been summoned to the Sacred City, where he is certain a commendation and grand holy assignment awaits him. But his new flock is made up of unrepentant murderers, practitioners of ghastly magic, and outright monsters, and the mission he is tasked with will require bloody measures from them all in order to achieve its righteous ends.

"Elves lurk at our borders and hunger for our flesh, while greedy princes care for nothing but their own ambitions and comfort. With a hellish journey before him, it's a good thing Brother Diaz has the devils on his side."

For more from Abercrombie - including additional information on The Heretics, how video games shaped his writing, and even what the future holds for Love, Death & Robots - check out the full and locally subtitled interview below.