History Film / Eragon

* InNameOnly: Despite being a common complaint, this is actually subverted. Innumerable details were changed, some of which would cause major plot issues later in the story (if sequels had ever been made), but the basic plot is more or less intact, even if it's still the only intact thing.

''Eragon'' is a 2006 {{action|Genre}}-{{adventure}} {{fantasy}} film directed by Stefen Fangmeier in his directorial debut. It is an adaptation of the first book in the ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'', ''Literature/{{Eragon}}'', and stars Ed Speleers as Eragon, Creator/JeremyIrons as Brom, Creator/RachelWeisz as the voice of Saphira and Creator/JohnMalkovich as Galbatorix. Like its contemporary ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', the movie took considerable liberties, leaving the core story basically intact, but changing numerous details from the book.

The film was intended to be the first in a franchise based on the whole of Paolini's book series, with plans made for Fangmeier to shoot adaptations of the next two books (''Eldest'' and ''Brisingr'') [[MovieMultipack back-to-back]]. However, following the film's poor critical reception and commercial underperformance, [[StillbornFranchise the planned franchise was cancelled]]. Several unsuccessful petitions to remake the film or reboot the film series did gain sizable support, but the choice has reportedly been made to instead adapt the books as a TV series for Creator/DisneyPlus.

* AdaptationalPersonalityChange:
** Arya is a notable example. In the books she's rather aloof and stoic, is a bit of a loner, and does not reciprocate Eragon's feelings in the slightest. Here, she's much friendlier and more expressive and seems to warm to Eragon very quickly, even expressing a hope they'll see each other again soon.
** Murtagh here is extroverted and funny, the complete opposite to how he was in the books.

%%* BeardOfEvil: Galbatorix sports a goatee.

* TheStoolPigeon: Like in the book, Sloan the butcher ends up squealing to the Ra'zac about Eragon's possession of the egg. Unlike the book, however, the reason he did so was heavily implied to be under the Lacerated Larry type (i.e., he was tortured into giving the information).

* ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks: Defied during Eragon's first encounter with Durza.

* AdaptationalWimp:
** Zig-zagged with Murtagh. The film downplays his skill with the sword, but gives him much more prowess with the bow and arrow, turning him into TheArcher.
** Played straight with the Ra'zac. They lack the strong exoskeletons and poisonous breath of their book counterparts, do not use [[PoisonedWeapons Seithr]] [[HollywoodAcid oil-coated]] weapons, and are both taken down in a short fight with Eragon and Brom.

The film was intended to be the first in a franchise based on the whole of Paolini's book series, with plans made for Fangmeier to shoot adaptations of the next two books (''Eldest'' and ''Brisingr'') [[MovieMultipack back-to-back]]. However, following the film's poor critical reception and relative commercial underperformance, [[StillbornFranchise the planned franchise was cancelled]]. Several unsuccessful petitions to remake the film or reboot the film series did gain sizable support, but the choice has reportedly been made to instead adapt the books as a TV series for Creator/DisneyPlus.

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/19cef4e6_8371_4723_8c5b_303114ed5f63.jpeg]]

%%* BaldOfEvil: Galbatorix.
%%* BattleCry: "Into the sky, to win or die!"

* TheDragon: Durza to Galbatorix.

An {{Action|Genre}}-{{Adventure}} {{Fantasy}} film adaptation of the first book in the ''Literature/InheritanceCycle'', ''Literature/{{Eragon}}'', was made in 2006, starring Ed Speelers as Eragon, Creator/JeremyIrons as Brom, Creator/RachelWeisz as the voice of Saphira and Creator/JohnMalkovich as Galbatorix. Like its contemporary ''Film/TheGoldenCompass'', the movie took considerable liberties, leaving the core story basically intact, but changing countless details from the book. A [[{{VideoGame/Eragon}} video game]] based off the movie was released a month in advance.

Currently, there are no plans for sequels due to its poor critical and commercial responses, although several, albeit unsuccessful petitions to remake the film have been created.

* BaldOfEvil: Galbatorix.
* BattleCry: "Into the sky, to win or die!"
* BeardOfEvil: Galbatorix sports a goatee.
* BigBad: Durza.

** The Ra'Zac from the books are an already extant, ancient, inhuman race that has been hunted to near extinction by humans over hundreds of years, having a combination of insectoid and avian traits. In the movie, they summoned by Durza and rise up from the ground, looking likd some sort of dirty humanoid mummies, apparently created by magic.

** The Ra'Zac in the books are wingless, insectoid birdmen, which are intended to be horrifying but still clearly recognizable as lifeforms. In the film, they are some sort of rotting dirty TheWormThatWalks slash mummy creatures.

** Zig-zagged with Murtaugh. The film downplays his skill with the sword, but gives him much more prowess with the bow and arrow, turning him into TheArcher.

* BigDamnHeroes: Murtaugh does this twice during the film, once at Gil'ead and once at the entrance to Farthen Dur. Eragon returns the favor during the FinalBattle.

* ChekhovsGunman: The shadowy bowman at Daret is [[spoiler:Murtaugh]].

* YouHaveFailedMe / YouAreInCommandNow: Durza kills an Urgal commander who let Eragon get away, then congratulates the Urgal next to him on his promotion. The new commander [[EvenEvilHasStandards doesn't look pleased]].

* DragonRider: Eragon is supposed to be a DragonRider to Saphira.

* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: Downplayed. In the film, it's implied that Eragon has a crush on Katrina and is a bit upset that she prefers his cousin Roran; in the books, he never regards her in romantic terms, with Arya bring instead his FirstLove.

* DeathByAdaptation: The Ra'zac. In the book, they survive their encounter with Eragon and Brom, [[spoiler:personally killing the latter and continuing as major antagonists until their death in the ''third'' book]]. Here, they are killed halfway through when Eragon hangs one and Brom stabs the other with Zar'roc.
* DiesDifferentlyInAdaptation: Garrow is of the "died earlier" type. In the book, he lingers for several days before dying of his injuries. Here, he's found killed by the Ra'zac.

* DeathByAdaptation:
** The Ra'zac. In the book, they survive their encounter with Eragon and Brom, [[spoiler:personally killing the latter and continuing as major antagonists until their death in the ''third'' book]]. Here, they are killed halfway through when Eragon hangs one and Brom stabs the other with Zar'roc.
** Garrow is of the "died earlier than in the source material" type. In the book, he lingers for several days before dying of his injuries. Here, he's found killed by the Ra'zac.

* InNameOnly: Despite being a common complaint, this is actually subverted. Innumerable details were changed, some of which would cause major plot issues later in the story (if sequels had ever been made), but the basic plot is more or less intact, even if it's atill the only intact thing.

** Durza himself is made a much more competent and resourceful character. In the books, he struggled in a duel against an untrained Eragon, got easily fooled by BlatantLies about Eragon's true name, had to retreat every time Saphira joined the scene, and was even temporarily killed by a regular arrow. Meanwhile, in the movie he seems in control all the time, never loses a fight until the final battle (Eragon shooting him is treated as a minor inconvenience), and even takes out Saphira without breaking a sweat by creating a shadow creature even more powerful than her.

* OhCrap: When Sloan learns that Eragon got the "stone" (actually a Dragon Egg) in the Spine, he's shocked and hurriedly gives back the stone to Eragon, denies its sale, and states he shouldn't have brought it here. It's not clear why he does so in the film, though the book explains that his wife died in the Spine, and he's hated anything associated with it ever since.

* AdaptationalHeroism: In the books, Sloan voluntarily told the Ra'zac about Eragon, purely out of spite and knowing they would probably kill or kidnap him. His version from the film is still a jerkass to him, but only tells the Ra'zac about the stone after being horrifically tortured, which could even imply he actively tried to withhold the information from them in order ''not'' to endanger Eragon and his household.
* AdaptationalPersonalityChange: Arya is a notable example. In the books she's rather aloof and stoic, is a bit of a loner, and does not reciprocate Eragon's feelings in the slightest. Here, she's much friendlier and more expressive and seems to warm to Eragon very quickly, even expressing a hope they'll see each other again soon.

** The Ra'Zac from the books are an already extant, ancient, inhuman race that has been hunted to near extinction by humans over hundreds of years, having a combination of insectoid and avian traits. In the movie, they summoned by Durza and rise up from the ground, looking like like some sort of dirty zombie mummy humanoids, apparantly created by magic.
** The Urgals in the book are described as tall, large, grey-skinned {{Horned Humanoid}}s, basically something like an Orc. In the movie nothing about their appearance implies that they are inhuman, instead basically looking like human barbarians. Apparently it was decided that make up or CGI to match the book was too expensive and time consuming.
** All of the dwarves and elves are indistinguishable from humans. Elves lack pointed ears and dwarves are not shorter than humans, which can make it hard to tell if they're even supposed

* AdaptationDistillation: A lot of the first act gets compressed into a few days rather than taking place over months; some of this is understandable given not much of importance happens in the book's first fourteen chapters besides Eragon finding Saphira and Garrow being killed.

* AdaptationOriginConnection: In the film, Durza "summons" the Ra'zac from pits in his lair. In the books, Durza and them never interact with each other and are completely unrelated other than being all servants of Galbatorix.
* AdaptationRelationshipOverhaul: Downplayed. In the film, it's implied that Eragon has a crush on Katrina and is a bit upset that she prefers his cousin Roran; in the books, he never regards her in romantic terms.

* GiantFlyer: Durza creates one out of smoke during the FinalBattle, with only the shadow of wings and an enormous mouth visible.

* InNameOnly: Despite being a common complaint, this is actually subverted. Innumerable details were changed, some of which would cause major plot issues later in the story (if sequels had ever been made), but the basic plot is more or less intact.

** The {{Invocation}} for Durza's giant shadow-monster at the climax included the line "Draumr abr sundavblaka." [[spoiler: In the books, these words together mean "dream of shadow-flapper."]]

* PlotRelevantAgeUp: In one of the most contentious change from the books, Saphira magically ages from an infant to a full grown adult in a matter of seconds after flying into a storm cloud, and no further explanation is ever offered (compared to the books where she slowly grows over time).