Although a television script had been written for the third series, it was cancelled by BBC executives Michael Grade and Jonathan Powell due to the adaptation failing in the ratings.

John Christopher was asked about this for an interview on Wordcandy,[4] replying that at the time of writing the series, it was generally accepted that girls would read books with boy main characters, but not vice versa.

Charlotte Long, who played Will's love interest Eloise, died in a car crash shortly after the start of transmission of the first series.

It was reported in 2005 that a cinematic version was in pre-production with Australian-born director Gregor Jordan signed on to rewrite and direct for Walt Disney's Touchstone Pictures label.

[15] In 2009, Alex Proyas was hired to direct a feature film adaptation of The Tripods and Stuart Hazeldine would write the screenplay starting with "The White Mountain" without Murphy & Touchstone.