Michael Chabon teases the return of Kavalier and Clay, the 2000 novel that brought the author international praise and numerous awards. Though Chabon has written eight novels, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay arguably still remains his most well known work.
The tremendously ambitious novel took place during a 16-year period in the lives of two Jewish cousins, Sammy Clay and Joe Kavalier. Starting in the early 1940’s, Joe manages to escape persecution from by the Nazis in Prague, arriving to live with his cousin Sammy in Brooklyn, New York. Once there, the two cousins discover their shared enjoyment of drawing and magic. With Sammy’s entrepreneurial sense and Joe’s artistic talents, the two manage to create a character known as The Escapist – an anti-fascist hero who finds huge popularity in the novel’s World War II era setting. While the story takes place roughly throughout the Golden Age of comic books, there are many social and cultural issues that play into its sizable narrative. At times heartbreaking, hilarious and action-packed, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and was marked by many as an ideal candidate for film adaptation. Though Ex Machina producer Scott Rudin purchased the book’s rights before it was published, an adaptation has still not materialized.
Despite development hell having apparently swallowed up The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, fans have remained hopeful that something would eventually emerge. While Chabon has previously stated that a film adaptation is dead, interest in the novel remains strong and fans are always eager to learn of any news that could indicate something is happening with it. Now, thanks to a brief tease in his Instagram stories, Chabon has answered a fan’s question regarding whether or not a sequel to the 2000 novel was still in the cards by stating, “In a way, yes. Stay tuned.”
So exactly what does this mean? Far from outright confirming that a sequel novel is on its way, Chabon’s statement does imply that new work is being done to Kavalier and Clay. The film adaptation has long since become known for its extensive plot and the sheer difficulty involved in trying to tame things into one concise production. There has, of course, been talk over the years of adapting the novel into a TV series, though this has also not ended up happening. That being said, with subscription streaming services what they now are, a TV series seems like the perfect fit for Kavalier and Clay, though whether or not that’s what Chabon was referencing in his Instagram post is completely unknown at this point.
All talk of an adaptation aside, the most intriguing option at this point would be a new novel from Chabon. Still, one does have to wonder why Chabon wouldn’t simply say as much. To date there have been no updates regarding the previously reported Showtime adaptation, and since it’s been four years since his last novel (and 20 since Kavalier and Clay’s initial release), there’s every reason to believe that just enough time has passed to merit a return visit to the world of Kavalier and Clay.
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Source: Michael Chabon
