A few weeks ago we reported that Steven Spielberg was rumoured to be shopping a hot script by former Today Show producer Noah Oppenheim around Hollywood, which is about the American cultural icon that is Jackie Kennedy. Spielberg was said to be producing, with it most likely ending up as a TV movie for HBO.
However EW is now reporting that while the script, simply called Jackie, is very really, the Spielberg rumours aren’t. Apparently he isn’t involved at all, and instead it’s being lined up as a theatrical film, with Darren Aronofsky directing and his fiancee, Rachel Weisz, playing the lead role. The two met on the set of The Fountain.
The screenplay examines the four days immediately following the assassination of John F. Kennedy from Jackie Kennedy’s point-of-view. Although there was a massive outpouring of sympathy for her, she was also under huge amounts of pressure to lead the national mourning, despite having just seen her husband shot through the head in the seat next to her. Most looks at the period have concentrated on JFK himself, so it’ll be interesting to see something based on his wife, and also how Weisz handles the role.
As yet, neither Aronofsky or Weisz’s involvement have been officially confirmed, but they’d certainly be an interesting pairing for a film like this.