Atrios looks to a future where novels are dramatized on television rather than in the movies:

Obviously the economics - and I have no real knowledge - will ultimately dictate whether things are made into movies or serialized TeeVee shows, but I do look forward to the day when the obvious visual translation of a good novel isn't the big screen. Or, hell, bring back serials on the big screen!

Though, ultimately, nothing is medium specific anymore. Someone should try a big serial. My guess is that if Harry Potter came out today (with associated popularity) it might be a good test case.

That future may soon be here:

The 37-year effort to bring "Atlas Shrugged" to the screen is finally gaining momentum.

Sort of.

Oscar winner Charlize Theron has been meeting during the past several months with Lionsgate and producers Howard and Karen Baldwin, who are developing the project's latest iteration, about starring as main character Dagny Taggart.

Theron has been eager to play the role but has been concerned that a feature would lose many of the nuances of the monster-sized novel. So the Rand adaptation would, under a plan she and producers discussed, be turned into a miniseries for Epix, the pay-cable network Lionsgate is forming with MGM and Viacom/Paramount.

The project, according to this plan, would be to make the mini one of the fledgling network’s programming linchpins. While insiders are not ruling out the possibility of releasing a condensed version to theaters, the main thrust would be the network, where the mini could be used to lure the book's legion of fans to subscribe.

And a resultant drop in water consumption at trailer parks and assisted-living facilities during the hours when the series is run.