EXCLUSIVE: After seeing so many of his novels turned into films, Nick Hornby is taking on the work of a peer. He has signed to write the script for Wild, the bestselling Cheryl Strayed memoir that Pacific Standard’s Reese Witherspoon and Bruna Papandrea have set up with River Road Entertainment’s Bill Pohlad. Witherspoon and Papandrea will produce with Pohlad, who’ll finance development.
In Wild, Strayed tells the inspiring story of a woman who tries to rebuild her shattered life by taking on a mission not seen in film since Forrest Gump ran across the country. Traumatized by the death of her mother and then the breakup of her marriage, Strayed made the impulsive decision to try regaining her mojo by taking on an 1100-mile solo hike along the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State. Despite no experience in long-distance hiking, she succeeded and in the process pulled herself back together. Wild is among several female-driven projects that Witherspoon and Papandrea have put in development since they formed Pacific Standard last March; others include the Gillian Flynn novel Gone Girl, Mitch Larson’s Pennyroyal’s Boot Camp, and Pharm Girl. Just as important, Wild creates an opportunity for Witherspoon to play a strong heroine, the role she shines in most brightly.
Witherspoon herself drafted Hornby after being a longtime fan of his writing. “Nick’s innate blend of humanity and humor are a perfect match for Cheryl’s raw emotional memoir,” Witherspoon said. “I look forward to collaborating with both of these talented writers to create a film full of honesty, adventure and self discovery.”
Said Hornby: “I loved Cheryl Strayed’s memoir. It’s moving, funny, painful and brave, and the moment I’d finished it I wanted someone to let me have a go at adapting it, because it was clear to me that it could make a wonderful movie. I’m thrilled to be given the chance; the fact that this chance was given to me by Reese Witherspoon, a great actress who feels exactly the same way about the book as I do, makes this project all the more exciting.”
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It’s not the first time Hornby has scripted based on another author’s work. Hornby recently turned in an adaptation of the Colm Toibin novel Brooklyn, with Rooney Mara set to star. Hornby is repped by Casarotto Ramsay, Pacific Standard by CAA and Management 360, and Strayed by The Smiley Group and Zachary Shuster Harmsworth Literary Agency.
i just hope that reese looks at the book from both sides that after 22 yrars cheryl is still peeling back the wound and stabbing at the family SHE left behind and the step father that worked his ass off to give this women and her children a better life then they had turn that knife a little more cheryl with the help of holliwood thanks this story hurt alot of people and is so far from the truth it is unreal
I hope this means Reese is done trying to be the new Kate Hudson in romcoms. She will be great in Gone Girl, the character is perfect for her. Not so for Wild so I hope it’s someone else.
If would be nice if she had actually hiked the trail, and not just a piece of it.
Haven’t read the book, but I love the premise. Only suggestion is that they change the title. WILD doesn’t draw me in at all. Reese hasn’t scored since she won her Oscar. Too bad because she’s got talent, but she picks the wrong projects.
Complete miscasting with Reese. Reese is struggling to find her niche as an adult and while I applaud her trying to constantly take charge of her career, I don’t think she has a clear image of her screen presence.
She’s not a romantic lead and she’s not a tour de force in drama. Election and Legally Blonde worked for her because they show her true type A (her company was named that for a reason) personality in a humorous way. Keep looking for underdog roles that play up your dorkiness (meant kindly) and you’ll find your old success. Play hard and uptight like in Sweet Home Alabama and you’ll find success.
I fear this will be a misfire because of the sexuality in the book which is a non-starter for Reese.
I think she might be doing the sex scene as a way to change her public image. If the movie is good she might get an Oscar nomination for it. So maybe she’s changed her mind when it comes to nudity.
I actually think her GOOD GIRL role is her potential comeback vehicle. I always assumed she would just produce this film and bring in a younger actress to play the lead.