It seems to be a well worn path. A world cinema director has a big success and for their first English-language project, they look to adapt a classic novel. It’s almost like a way to ease themselves into mainstream moviemaking, without getting too much of a culture shock. The latest person who looks like he’s going to do just this is Cary Fukunaga, who wowed the arthouse world earlier this year with the excellent Sin Nombre, about people trying to get from Central American into the US.
Now Variety reports that he’s in advanced negotiations to helm an adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre, which is being made through the British production company, Ruby Films. The script has been written by Moira Buffini, who’s currently quite hot because of her work adapting the graphic novel Tamara Drewe for Stephen Frears. The new Jane Eyre movie will play up the gothic elements of the classic 19th century story about a governess who falls in love with her surly employer who has a dark secret.
Although Ellen Page was once attached to play the eponymous heroine, she’s left the project, and so they’ll start looking for a new cast once Fukunaga has signed on the dotted line.
Jane Eyre is certainly a book ripe for a decent film adaptation, as previous versions have all been somewhat flawed, although the 1944 movie with Orson Welles and Joan Fontaine is certainly worth a look.
Filming is on this new take on the classic due to start next year.