Our first and, until now, only update on the prospective Danny Boyle film Sharp Teeth came in the early part of 2011; even then, the extent of our knowledge depended solely on comments from Simon Beaufoy, who was trying to crack the process of adapting Toby Barlow‘s “werewolves-in-gangland-LA” novel. Easier said than done, as he summed up the adaptation process by saying, “If you get it wrong, it’s a disaster. If you get it right, it’s extraordinary.”

An interview that Beaufoy conducted with i09 saw the project raised once more, yet he sounded about as far into the process as 13 months ago. Lately, he’s “been talking with Danny [Boyle] about it,” but the man’s still “gotta get the script right first.” (He is very busy, to be fair.) If one area has been pinned down, it’s a big one: their approach to and depiction of the main creatures.

When asked if they would be achieved through CGI, this is what Beaufoy had to say:

“Yeah probably not, that would be too easy. We have to make life much more difficult for ourselves and use real dogs. That would be the best, because that would be truly terrifying. I think animation would allow too much distance from it.”

Well, at least that much sounds promising. In the meantime, though, I think interested parties are best-advised to patiently wait for some more comments in April of 2013.

Here’s a full synopsis of the book (via Amazon):

“An ancient race of lycanthropes survives in modern LA and its numbers are growing as packs convert the city’s downtrodden into their fold. Stuck in the middle are a local dogcatcher and the woman he loves, whose secret past haunts her as she fights a bloody one-woman battle to save their relationship. Meanwhile, dog packs fight and scheme all around the them, hiding out in old warehouses, city kennel cages, or the plush comfort of suburban homes. Paying no heed to the moon, these packs change from human to wolf at will, squaring off against one another as they seek dominance at any cost. “Sharp Teeth” is a novel-in-verse that blends epic themes with dark humour, dogs playing cards, crystal meth labs, and acts of heartache and betrayal in Southern California.”

Have you been wondering what happened to Sharp Teeth? Are these comments encouraging, or does it take away hopes of seeing it come together?