I have to say I like Danish director Lone Sherfig just because she’s got a great name, and it doesn’t hurt that An Education is pretty good too, and already has plenty of Awards buzz. Now Sherfig has announced her follow-up film, which will be an adaptation of David Nicholls novel, One Day.
The book is about Dexter and Emma, who meet at their graduation in 1988 and then get back together for one day a year over the next two decades. Unsurprisingly, the film is being compared to When Harry Met Sally, as it will follow the lives and loves of its protagonists, until they realise they were meant for one another. (Cue vomiting).
Nicholls is due to do exactly as he did with Starter For 10, and adapt his own novel for the big screen. Interestingly though, while the film is set up at Focus Features and production company Color Force is also on board, publishing company Random House has set up its own film arm, Random House Films, and will be directly incolved in the movie, rather than just selling the rights. It’s part of a move where rights owners are becoming more and more reluctant simply to hand over their properties for Hollywood to rip apart and screw up, and now want both more say in what happens with the screen version and also hope to get a bigger chunk of potential profits.