We've all heard the complaint, "The movie wasn't as good as the book," and maybe even uttered it ourselves. But then again, some novels have yielded adaptations that have been heralded as works of art in their own right (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, The Lord of the Rings trilogy, the first two Godfather films).
Below is a list of recently acquired works of literature that Hollywood hopes to translate to the big screen:
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Acclaimed filmmaker David Cronenberg has his sights set on Don Dellilo's short novel Cosmopolis.
Variety reports:
"Cronenberg will helm and also adapt the 2003 novel for the screen. Story follows a 28-year-old multimillionaire on a 24-hour odyssey across Manhattan. Considered one of America's leading novelists, DeLillo's most acclaimed works include White Noise and Underworld."
"The tale is ingenious and amusing, and there's a chilling logic to its eloquent climax," reveals Kirkus Reviews.
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Christopher Buckley's Middle East satire Florence of Arabia has been picked up by Charlize Theron's production company.
"Florence of Arabia is about a State Dept. employee (to be played by Theron) who, after watching her friend marry the prince of a Middle East country and subsequently get executed, fights for equal rights for the women of that country."
"[V]ery witty indeed," declares Entertainment Weekly.
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Ben Affleck will star in -- as well as direct -- the adaptation of Chuck Hogan's Prince of Thieves. The cast also includes Rebecca Hall and Mad Men's John Hamm."[T]he story follows the relationship between a bank manager, the career criminal (Affleck) who stole more than her heart and the dedicated FBI agent trying to bust the crook and his gang."Chuck Hogan has woven a rich narrative of friendship, young love and mounting suspense," raves Stephen King.
Hamm is playing the FBI agent. Hall is the reason the criminal wants to clean up his act but also is the agent's golden ticket to catching the man."
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Read 'em now -- before the movie-tie-in edition comes out!
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