The Last Unicorn Live-Action? Sure, Why Not

Just to start, this feels highly ambitious, not to mention possible, but daunting. Those of us that can remember The Last Unicorn from our childhood, and those lucky enough to have seen it since it at some point over the years, know very well that this movie is one of those that still used the wildly imaginative techniques and methods that brought to life a world and several characters that were fully integrated with the story but stood well on their own two feet as well. But thinking that this could be a live-action story is, well, it’s doable, but it’s bound to be a director’s nightmare as they attempt to get it right. Trying to wrap one’s head around some of the images that are bound to come is something else indeed, and it does feel as though it could be truly magnificent if it was brought to life in a manner that would do it justice. There’s no denying that the technology exists to make this happen, since back when The Lord of the Rings was released and featured a surging river that had at its head several rushing horses, people thought that was great. 

Now the thing about an ocean wave filled with charging unicorns, and in front of that the image of a lone unicorn driving their aggressor, the red bull, into the waves, just as they’d had done to them so long ago. This tale is one that a lot of us can probably remember fondly since it was one of the best to ever come along, but the needs of the story when it comes to live-action would be immense and for a few very big reasons. One of the first and foremost is that the main character is a unicorn, which would mean anthropomorphizing more than one animal, and even more, perhaps even bringing to life a tree, hopefully without the huge and cumbersome bosom. But while the idea of animals that can talk isn’t horrible or even that problematic, it’s finding a way to make it appealing that would be kind of tough. 

But there’s plenty of faith out there and there’s a good reason for it: this is one of the best fantasy stories ever made. It might not be one of the most well-known at this time, and that could be since the movie has been largely left alone for several decades now. There’s been plenty of mention of it now and then, and some folks have made certain that it’s not forgotten, but the truth is that this movie has been overshadowed in a big way by the swords, sorcery, and overall sensationalist displays that came after it, grabbing up the attention of the fans and keeping it for a great deal of time. The beauty of this story however is that it doesn’t need to change to conform to the modern era, it doesn’t have to be updated, and it doesn’t need an upgrade in any way. Instead, all it needs is a great cast to bring the story to life and to breathe a new type of energy into it that might make things just as interesting as they were before. 

Some would say that replacing the old actors might be a bit troubling, but if Mia Farrow, Jeff Bridges, and even Alan Arkin could come back for cameos, that might be kind of nice. Replacing Christopher Lee would be tough, but for the role of King Haggard, it would be necessary. This would be a seriously tough movie to take on for any director, no matter if it was given to someone whose specialty was bringing the greatest CGI to life. The task would still be one that a lot of directors might actually pass on, which could explain why this is more of a rumor at this time than a reality. The stage play that’s rumored to be coming could be seen as far more possible since there’s a great deal that could be done when it comes to costumes, set design, and other measures. But for the big screen, there’s a great deal of work to be done that’s likely to keep people up late at night for weeks on end. 

Would it be worth it? That’s tough to answer in all honesty, since without seeing a finished result it’s nearly impossible to tell whether or not it would be a successful idea. A lot of us can probably get a good picture in our heads of what it might look like and what might happen with it, but at this point, it’s best to think that if it does happen, it might be a while until a director is bold enough to step forward. Whenever that day does happen, one can bet that we’ll all be talking about it without cease until the release date comes.