Dakota Fanning is in negotiations to star in Summit Entertainment’s supernatural drama If I Stay, with Brazilian filmmaker Heitor Dhalia coming onboard to direct. According to Variety, If I Stay was originally set to be directed by Twilight director Catherine Hardwicke, who opted out to direct Red Riding Hood instead.
The story revolves around a gifted musician (Fanning), and her boyfriend, a rising star in the indie rock world. Already faced with a choice between her art and her relationship, she is forced to make a harder choice between life and death after being involved in a fatal car accident.
Shauna Cross has written the adaptation based on Gayle Forman’s young adult novel. If I Stay has been a high priority project at Summit for more than a year, with the company nailing down rights before the book was published in April 2009.