Empire Online has an interview with Chris Weitz, who along with his brother Paul Weitz, is adapting Michael Moorcock‘s Elric saga for the big screen through their Depth Of Field production company.

Writer/director Chris Weitz, whose most recent endeavor is New Line’s The Golden Compass, said in the interview that he hopes his brother will direct the Elric series of movies, though no one has been chosen for the position at this time.

There’s been very little news regarding the movie adaptation since it was announced that Universal and the Weitz Brothers had optioned 11 books from the fantasy series. But on his official message board, author Moorcook — who is serving as co-producer — stated last month about the first film that, The script as it now exists is a version of “Elric of Melnibone” and the story The Dreaming City.”

The tragic hero Elric of Melniboné, who first appeared in print in 1961, is nothing like the typical sword and sorcery protagonist. Although he is an Emperor, his albino appearance and conscience-guided decision-making sets him apart from his fellow countrymen. The sickly Emperor, keep alive only by magical elixirs, faces betrayal and adversity in his journeys in exile and is often subjected to the will of his sentient sword, Stormbringer.

It was announced last year that the out-of-print Elric series would be released in trade paperback this year by Del Rey and will include short stories and other rarities, as well as illustrations by John Picacio.