People who write normal novels must be getting a bit annoyed, as nobody seems to be interested in making movies out of them nowadays, yet pretty much every graphic novel that’s ever been published is currently in some stage of being brought to the big screen. One such illustrated tome is Tamara Drewe by Posy Simmonds, and now Stephen Frears has officially signed on to direct the film version.
However this is not the sort of all-guns-blazing comic book movie we’re used to, as Tamara Drewe is a modern reimaging of Thomas Hardy’s Far From the Madding Crowd, in which sexy flirt Drewe returns to her small country village after completely transforming herself through plastic surgery and a new look. She stirs up dark passions amongst the locals which leads to tragedy. See, not an alien in sight.
Bond girl Gemma Arterton is due to play due the title role, while Dominic Cooper, Roger Allam, Luke Evans, Bill Camp and Tamsin Grieg have also signed up to star in the movie, which will start shooting later this month.
Although Frears has been attached to the movie for a while, he’s been circling various other projects and has only just signed on the line to direct Tamara Drewe. It would seem to be right up his street though, following things like Dangerous Liaison, Mrs Henderson Presents and The Queen, as he has a good eye for projects in which deep passions stir.