Although he’s prone to the odd misstep, such as Nurse Betty and the abysmal remake of The Wicker Man, Neil Labute is still one of the most interesting directors around. The In The Company of Men and Lakeview Terrace helmer has now signed up for an adaptation of Charles Willeford’s noir novel, The Burnt Orange Heresy.
The book is about a corrupt art critic, Jacques Figeuroa, who’ll do anything to further his career, including blackmail, burglary and murder. Figueroa thinks he might have got his big break when he gets a lead on how to track down a famed, reclusive painter, but he’ll only get the info he need if he steals one of the artist’s masterworks first.
A satire on modern art, it’s an extremely good fit for LaBute, who’s shown in the past that he’ll take no prisoners if he has a subject he feels strongly about.
Labute is currently finishing up work on an American remake of the 2007 Brit black comedy, Death at a Funeral. The new version is due out next spring and stars James Marsden, Zoe Saldana, Luke Wilson, Martin Lawrence and Chris Rock (who also co-wrote the screenplay and has apparently played up the broad farce aspects of the original.
There’s no news yet when The Burnt Orange Heresy might go into production.