Novel
Approach
Some
of 2005’s most lucrative releases – “The
Chronicles of Narnia,” “Harry Potter and
the Goblet of Fire,” “War of the Worlds” and “Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory” among them – were
based on novels. In tribute to these and the freshly
minted blockbuster “The Da Vinci Code,” Next!
pages through a few more tomes headed for the big screen.
“Stormbreaker,” based
on the novel about a kid superspy by Anthony Horowitz (“Ark
Angels”), was profiled in November’s Next! Weinstein expects it to break Sept. 1.
“Running With Scissors,” based on the memoir
by Augusten Burroughs (“Possible Side Effects”),
was covered in the June edition of Next! Sony is running
with a Sept. 15 release.
“All the King’s Men,” based on the 1946
novel by Robert Penn Warren (“Band of Angels”)
and starring Sean Penn, is a remake of the 1949 drama about
a blue-collar laborer’s ascent to influential Southern
governor. Previewed in last November’s issue of In
Focus, the Sony release hopes to dethrone the competition
Sept. 22.
“Killshot,” based on the novel by Elmore Leonard
(“Out of Sight,” “The Big Bounce,” “Be
Cool”), is a thriller about an ironworker and his
wife who are pursued by quirky but ruthless killers after
they witness a shakedown and have to enter an ineffectual
Federal Witness Protection Program. Directed by John Madden
(“Captain Corelli’s Mandolin,” “Proof”)
from a screenplay by Hossein Amini (“Wings of the
Dove,” “Four Feathers”), it stars Diane
Lane (“Fierce People”), Thomas Jane (“The
Punisher”), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (“Brick”),
Johnny Knoxville (“The Ringer”), Rosario Dawson
(“Rent,” “Clerks II”) and Mickey
Rourke (“Domino,” “Stormbreaker”).
MGM takes aim Sept. 22.
“The Children of Men,” based
on the novel by P.D. James (“The Murder Room”) and starring
Julianne Moore, is set in a future when humans have lost
the ability to reproduce, and follows a man who protects
the first pregnant woman anyone’s seen in more than
20 years. Profiled last February by Next!, Universal expects
it Sept. 29.
“Infamous,” based on the 1997 oral biography “Truman
Capote: In Which Various Friends, Enemies, Acquaintances
and Detractors Recall His Turbulent Career” by George
Plimpton (“Paper Lion”), is a drama about the
researching and writing of the book “In Cold Blood,” and
author Truman Capote’s relationship with the sociopathic
Kansas killers who murdered an entire family. (It is not
a really fast remake of “Capote” — In
Focus first made note of it in its November 
2004 “Missing
in Action” feature when it was known as “Every
Word is True.”) Written and directed by Douglas McGrath
(“Company Man,” “Nicholas Nickleby”),
it stars Toby Jones (“Finding Neverland”) as
Capote and Sandra Bullock (“The Lake House”)
as writer Harper Lee. Gwyneth Paltrow (“Proof,” “Running
With Scissors”), Hope Davis (“The Matador”),
Isabella Rossellini (“Roger Dodger”), Jeff
Daniels (“R.V.”), Daniel Craig (“Munich”)
and Sigourney Weaver (“Imaginary Heroes”) co-star.
Warner Independent Pictures plans to release it in New
York and Los Angeles Oct. 13.
“Flags Of Our Fathers,” based on the book
by James Bradley (“Flyboys”) and Ron Powers
(“Mark Twain: A Life”), is the true story of
a man who learned his late father was one of six men in
a famous photograph depicting soldiers erecting an American
flag on Iwo Jima – and his efforts to track down
the other five men so that he might understand why his
father had kept his role in that battle a secret. Directed
by Clint Eastwood (“Mystic River,” “Million
Dollar Baby”) from a screenplay by Paul Haggis (“Million
Dollar Baby,” “Crash”), it stars Ryan
Phillippe (“Crash”), Adam Beach (“Windtalkers”),
Jesse Bradford (“Happy Endings”), Jamie Bell
(“King Kong”), Paul Walker (“Eight Below”),
Neal McDonough (“Walking Tall”) and Joseph
Cross (“Jack Frost,” “Running with Scissors”).
DreamWorks may salute an Oct. 20 release.
“Flicka,” based on the horsey novel “My
Friend Flicka” by Mary O’Hara (“The Green
Grass of Wyoming”) and starring Alison Lohman, is
due Oct. 20 from Fox and was profiled in the April edition
of Next!
“A Good Year,” based on the novel by Peter
Mayle (“A Year in Provence”), is a drama about
an Englishman who moves to Provence to take over an inherited
vineyard and clashes with an American woman who also claims
ownership of the property. Directed by Ridley Scott (“Matchstick
Men,” “Kingdom of Heaven”) from a screenplay
by Marc Klein (“Serendipity”), it stars Russell
Crowe (“Cinderella Man”), Albert Finney (“Amazing
Grace”), Abbie Cornish (“Somersault”),
Aaron Eckhart (“Suspect Zero”), Tom Hollander
(“Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest”),
Valeria Bruni-Tedeschi (“Côte d’Azur”),
Marion Cotillard (“A Very Long Engagement”)
and Freddie Highmore (“Charlie and the Chocolate
Factory”). Fox hopes you’ll at least stay the
weekend Nov. 10.
“The Hoax,” based on a true story
and the 1981 book by Clifford Irving (“Final Arguments”),
is a drama about how Irving tried in 1971 to sell to McGraw-Hill
a fake “authorized biography” of Howard Hughes
for $750,000. Directed by Lasse Hallström (“An
Unfinished Life,” “Casanova”) from a
screenplay by William Wheeler, it stars Richard Gere (“Bee
Season”), Alfred Molina (“The Da Vinci Code”),
Marcia Gay Harden (“American Dreamz”), Julie
Delpy (“Broken Flowers”) and Hope Davis (“Infamous”).
Buena Vista isn’t lying about releasing it Nov.
10.
“The Painted Veil,” based on the novel by W. Somerset
Maugham (“Up at the Villa,” “Being Julia”)
and starring Naomi Watts, was covered in last November’s
edition of Next! Warner Independent unveils it in New York
and Los Angeles Nov. 17.
“Casino Royale,” based on the 1953 novel (the
first to feature secret agent James Bond) by Ian Fleming
(“Chitty Chitty Bang Bang”) and starring Daniel
Craig, hits screens Nov. 17. It was last covered in June’s
Next!
“The Assassination Of Jesse James By The Coward
Robert Ford,” based on the book by Ron Hansen (“Atticus,” “Desperadoes”),
was covered in last November’s edition of Next! Warner
Bros. is said to be aiming for an autumn launch.
“Eragon” is a fantasy, based on the best-selling
novel by Christopher Paolini and starring John Malkovich,
profiled in last February’s edition of Next! Fox
eggs it on Dec. 15.
“Charlotte’s Web,” based on the children’s
novel by E.B. White (“Stuart Little,” “Trumpet
of the Swan”) and starring Dakota Fanning, was profiled
here in April. Paramount spins the tale Dec. 20.
“Young Hannibal,” based on the upcoming novel “Behind
the Mask” by Thomas Harris (“Red Dragon,” “The
Silence of the Lambs,” “Hannibal”), is
a prequel to 2002’s “Red Dragon,” chronicling
Hannibal Lecter’s childhood in Lithuania and time – and
crimes — in America prior to his capture. Directed
by Peter Webber (“Girl with a Pearl Earring”)
from a screenplay by Harris, it stars Gong Li (“Miami
Vice”) as Lady Murasaki and Gaspard Ulliel (“A
Very Long Engagement”) as the titular cannibal. Rhys
Ifans (“Chromophobia”), Kevin McKidd (“Kingdom
of Heaven”) and Richard Brake (“Munich”)
co-star. Universal has cooked up a Feb. 9 release.
“A Bridge to Terabithia,” based on the 1978
novel by Katherine Paterson (“Lyddie”), follows
two outcast fifth graders who create a fantasy world of
giants and trolls to escape reality. Directed by Gabor
Csupo from a screenplay by David Paterson, it stars Zooey
Deschanel (“Failure to Launch”), Josh Hutcherson
(“R.V.”) and AnnaSophia Robb (“Charlie
and the Chocolate Factory”). The Buena Vista release
should span the weekend of Feb. 16-18.
“Meet the Robinsons,” based on the books by
William Joyce (the “Dinosaur Bob” series),
is a computer-animated feature about a child prodigy who
builds a time machine. Veteran animator Steve Anderson
(“The Emperor’s New Groove,” “Brother
Bear”) makes his big-screen directorial debut from
a screenplay by Michelle Bochner (TV’s “Will & Grace”).
Also known as “A Day with Wilbur Robinson,” it
features the voices of Angela Bassett, Spencer Fox, Tom
Kenny and Jordan Fry. Disney plans to meet a March 30 release
date.
“Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix,” based
on the 2003 novel by by J.K. Rowling (“Harry Potter
and the Chamber of Secrets”), was covered in May’s
Next! Warner Bros. reopens Hogwarts July 13, 2007.
“Nancy Drew,” based on the long-running series
of novels by Carolyn Keene (actually a pseudonym used by
more than a dozen authors), is an adventure drama about
a girl detective who accompanies her father on a business
trip, and stumbles upon the high-profile mystery of a murdered
movie star. Directed by Andrew Fleming (“Dick,” “The
In-Laws”) from a screenplay by Tiffany Paulson, it
stars Emma Roberts (“Aquamarine”), Tate Donovan
(“Good Night, and Good Luck”), Kay Panabaker
(TV’s “Summerland”), Laura Harring (“The
Punisher”), Max Thieriot (“The Pacifier”)
and Josh Flitter (“Big Momma’s House 2”).
Warner Bros. detects an Aug. 10, 2007, release.
“Beowulf,” based on the epic Old English poem,
is a “performance-capture” adventure profiled
in January’s Next! Paramount has captured Nov. 16,
2007 as its launch date.
“The Golden Compass,” based on the first novel
of Phillip Pullman’s popular “His Dark Materials” trilogy,
is a fantasy-adventure about a young orphan girl living
in a mystical universe; she is thrust into a race of good
versus evil after she thwarts an assassination attempt
on her powerful uncle. Anand Tucker (“Hilary and
Jackie,” “Shopgirl”) is reportedly set
to direct from a screenplay by Chris Weitz (“About
A Boy”). New Line expects a Dec. 7, 2007, release.
“The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” was
covered in May’s Next! The Buena Vista release, based
on the series of novels by C.S. Lewis, arrives in summer
of 2008.
Warner Independent’s “The Girls’ Guide
to Hunting and Fishing,” based on the collection
of stories by Melissa Bank (“The Wonder Spot”),
is still fishing for a release date. Since it was covered
in last month’s Next!, Maggie Grace (“The Fog”)
was added to its cast as the Sarah Michelle Gellar character’s
best friend.
“The Nanny Diaries,” based on the novel by
Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin (“Citizen Girl”),
is a Park Avenue comedy about an NYU grad student charged
with the care of a spoiled and demanding housewife’s
4-year-old son. Directed by Shari Springer Berman & Robert
Pulcini (“American Splendor”) from a screenplay
by Berman & Pulcini and Jenny Bicks (“What a
Girl Wants”), it stars Scarlett Johansson (“Match
Point”), Laura Linney (“The Squid and the Whale”),
Paul Giamatti (“Lady in the Water”), Chris
Evans (“London”), Donna Murphy (“Spider-Man
2”) and singer Alicia Keys. The Weinstein Company
has yet to au pair it with a release date.
“Blood And Chocolate,” based on the young
adult novel by Annette Curtis Klause (“Alien Secrets”),
is a horror thriller about a teenage werewolf whose romance
with a human puts her at odds with the rest of her pack.
Directed by Katja von Garnier (“Bandits”) from
a screenplay by Ehren Kruger (“The Brothers Grimm,” “Skeleton
Key”), it stars Agnes Bruckner (“Peaceful Warrior”),
Olivier Martinez (“S.W.A.T.”), Hugh Dancy (“Basic
Instinct 2: Risk Addiction”), Katja Reimann (“Rosenstrasse”),
Bryan Dick (“Master and Commander: The Far Side of
the World”), Tom Harper (“The Upside of Anger”)
and Kata Dobo (“Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction”).
Sony has yet to consult a lunar calendar for the release.
“Candy,” based on the novel by Luke Davies,
is a darkly comic drama about a pair of heroin addicts
in love. Directed by Neil Armfield from a screenplay by
Armfield and Davies, it stars Heath Ledger (“Casanova”),
Geoffrey Rush (“Munich”), Abbie Cornish (“The
Monkey’s Mask”), Damon Herriman (“House
of Wax”), Garry McDonald (“Rabbit-Proof Fence”),
Tom Budge and Noni Hazlehurst and has yet to score a domestic
distributor.
“The Martian Child,” based on the 2002 novel
by David Gerrold (“Child of Earth”), is a drama
about a single writer who decides to adopt a troubled young
boy – a boy who deals with his history of abuse by
telling people he’s from another planet. Directed
by Menno Meyjes (“Max”) from a screenplay by
Seth Bass & Jonathan Tolins (the TV-movie “Twilight
of the Golds”), it stars John Cusack (“Max,” “Ice
Harvest”), Bobby Coleman (“Friends with Money”),
Amanda Peet (“Syriana”), Sophie Okonedo (“Aeon
Flux”), Joan Cusack (“Friends with Money”)
and Oliver Platt (“Casanova”). New Line hasn’t
adopted a release date.
“The Namesake,” based on the novel by Jhumpa Lahiri
(“Interpreter of Maladies”) and set in New
York, is a drama about an American son of Indian immigrants
who comes into conflict with his parents over their unwillingness
to break with Old World tradition. The “Salaam Bombay!”-“Mississippi
Masala” team of director Mira Nair (“Vanity
Fair”) and screenwriter Sooni Taraporevala reunite.
It stars Kal Penn (“A Lot Like Love,” “Superman
Returns”), Zuleikha Robinson (“Hidalgo”),
Jacinda Barrett (“Poseidon”), Gabriel Byrne
(“Assault on Precinct 13”), Brooke Smith (“In
Her Shoes”), Irfan Khan (“Salaam Bombay!”)
and Allison Lee Ritter (“Just My Luck”). Fox
Searchlight has not yet named a release date.
“Tideland,” based on the novel by Mitch Cullin
(“Branches”), is a drama about an adolescent
city girl whose life changes abruptly when her mother dies
of a heroin overdose, and she moves to her father’s
farmhouse in the country. Directed by Terry Gilliam (“Fear
and Loathing in Las Vegas,” “The Brothers Grimm”)
from a screenplay by Tony Grisoni (“Fear and Loathing
in Los Vegas,” “In This World”), it stars
Jodelle Ferland (“Silent Hill”), Jeff Bridges
(“Stick It”), Brendan Fletcher (“Freddy
Vs. Jason”), Janet McTeer (“The Intended”)
and Jennifer Tilly (“The Haunted Mansion”)
and has yet to wash aboard a domestic distributor.
“Mr. Ripley’s Return,” based on the
novel “Ripley Under Ground” by Patricia Highsmith
(“The Talented Mr. Ripley,” “Ripley’s
Game”), is a thriller, set in the French countryside,
about what happens after Tom Ripley murders the art aficionado
who was getting too close to uncovering his forgery scheme.
Directed by Roger Spottiswoode (“The 6th Day”)
from a screenplay by Blake Herron (“The Bourne Identity”),
it stars Barry Pepper (“25th Hour”), Tom Wilkinson
(“A Good Woman”), Claire Forlani (“Green
Street Hooligans”), Willem Dafoe (“American
Dreamz”) and Alan Cumming (“Son of the Mask”).
Also known as “Mayhem,” “White on White” and “Ripley
Under Ground,” it was shot in 2003 but Fox Searchlight
has not yet decided when it will return to the release
calendar.
“Notes On A Scandal,” based on the novel “What
Was She Thinking? Notes On A Scandal” by Zoe Heller
(“Everything You Know”), is a drama about a
teacher who throws her life into turmoil when she starts
an affair with one of her students. Directed by Richard
Eyre (“Iris,” “Stage Beauty”) from
a screenplay by Patrick Marber (“Closer,” “Asylum”),
it stars Cate Blanchett (“The Aviator”) and
Judi Dench (“Pride and Prejudice”). Note that
Fox Searchlight has not assigned it a release date.
“Zodiac,” based on the books “Zodiac” and “Zodiac
Unmasked” by San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist Robert
Graysmith, and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Mark Ruffalo,
was profiled (as “Chronicles”) in March’s
Next! Paramount scopes out a Jan. 19, 2007 release.
“Fur,” based on the book “Diane Arbus” by
Patricia Bosworth (“Montgomery Clift: A Biography”),
examines photographer Arbus, whose career of creating disturbing
portraits was cut short by her 1971 suicide. The “Secretary” team
of Steven Shainberg and screenwriter Erin Cressida Wilson
reunite. The project stars Nicole Kidman (“Bewitched”),
Robert Downey Jr. (“Zodiac”), Jane Alexander
(“The Ring”), Emily Bergl (“The Rage:
Carrie 2”), Emmy Clarke (TV’s “Monk”),
Harris Yulin (“The Emperor’s Club”),
Boris McGiver (“The Pink Panther”), Marceline
Hugot (“Uptown Girls”) and Ty Burrell (“Friends
With Money”). Picturehouse pictures a Nov. 17 release
date.
“Starter For Ten,” based on the novel by David
Nicholls (“A Question of Attraction”), is a
drama set in mid-1980s Britain about a working-class student
stumbling through his first year at a posh, upper-class
university. Directed by Tom Vaughan from a screenplay by
Nicholls (“Simpatico”), it stars James McAvoy
(“The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and
the Wardrobe”), Dominic Cooper (“From Hell”),
Simon Woods (“Pride & Prejudice”) and Alice
Eve (“Stage Beauty”). Picturehouse is studying
the calendar for a release date.
“300,” based on the graphic
novel by Frank Miller (“Sin City”), is a historical epic about
the Battle of Thermopylae, where King Leonides led 300
Spartans against a far greater number of invading Persians.
Directed by Zack Snyder (“Dawn of the Dead”)
from a screenplay by Snyder and Kurt Johnstad, it stars
Gerard Butler (“The Phantom of the Opera”),
Lena Headey (“Click”), David Wenham (“Van
Helsing,” “The Proposition”), Vincent
Regan (“Unleashed”) and Dominic West (“The
Forgotten”). Warner Bros. sends it into battle next
year.
