Water For Elephants Film Adaptation Getting Fast-Tracked

BuzzSugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 10:31:31 -0700

Sara Gruen's bestselling novel Water For Elephants has apparently been at the center of a competitive bidding war among movie studios, with victory going to Fox 2000. The studio beat out Warner Bros., Universal, and Paramount for the rights, mostly because of "the company's passion and track record with literary adaptations." The Hollywood Reporter has more:

The book centers on a 90-year-old man reminiscing about his life and is set during the Depression, when he found work at a B-level circus taking care of the animals. He sees the brutality of circus life while falling for the wife of an abusive animal trainer.

Fox 2000 president Elizabeth Gabler acknowledged the translation might face challenges because of the nature of the story, yet she believes in the project's power.

"It's a period movie," she said, "and it's a circus movie . . . It is a risky piece of material, but there is a lot going for it. It's inspirational and it packs a lot of punch. And it'll attract a lot of talented people."

I Am Legend director Francis Lawrence will direct.

Have you read Water for Elephants? Do you have any casting suggestions? Should I make this book one of my Buzz Book Club selections?

Source

Buzz News Roundup, 7/9

BuzzSugar — Mon, 09 Jul 2007 13:27:51 -0700

Forbes confirms that Jane magazine is shutting down.
Rupert Friend has been cast as Prince Albert alongside Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria, says Hollywood Reporter.
Recently ousted NBC entertainment president Kevin Reilly could be hired by Fox, which would reunite the team that developed "Nip/Tuck" and "The Shield," TV Week reports.
MTV News warns that there may not be a new Outkast album for two years, while Andre 3000 and Big Boi pursue solo projects.
Bestselling novel Water for Elephants will be adapted for the big screen, Variety reports.
It sounds like we're in for at least one, if not two, more editions of "The Apprentice," Reuters says.
Billboard says The Cure is working on a double album due in October.
Lance Bass will join the cast of the Broadway musical "Hairspray" on August 14, reports the AP.
The Hollywood Reporter says ABC is retooling "Cavemen," adding a new character, ditching the caveman played by Dash Mihok, and shooting a new first episode to go deeper into the characters' back stories.
This year's ComiCon schedule of events has just been released.
In TV casting news, two Kevins - Alejandro and Pollak - are joining the cast of "Shark" on CBS, while TV Guide says Michael Cassidy of "Hidden Palms" will be the new editor of The Daily Planet on "Smallville."