David Fincher may not have had the level of success many anticipated with THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, but that is not stopping him from considering another female-driven thriller novel for an upcoming project.
Fincher, according to Deadline, is considering the bestselling novel GONE GIRL by Gillian Flynn for his next directorial effort. Fincher is currently working on a remake of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA at Disney and has been one of the remaining names rumored to take on a new STAR WARS movie that has not denied involvement.
GONE GIRL is one of the best novels I read in 2012. Here is the synopsis: On a warm summer morning in North Carthage, Missouri, it is Nick and Amy Dunne’s fifth wedding anniversary. Presents are being wrapped and reservations are being made when Nick’s clever and beautiful wife disappears from their rented McMansion on the Mississippi River. Husband-of-the-Year Nick isn’t doing himself any favors with cringe-worthy daydreams about the slope and shape of his wife’s head, but passages from Amy’s diary reveal the alpha-girl perfectionist could have put anyone dangerously on edge. Under mounting pressure from the police and the media—as well as Amy’s fiercely doting parents—the town golden boy parades an endless series of lies, deceits, and inappropriate behavior. Nick is oddly evasive, and he’s definitely bitter—but is he really a killer? As the cops close in, every couple in town is soon wondering how well they know the one that they love. With his twin sister, Margo, at his side, Nick stands by his innocence. Trouble is, if Nick didn’t do it, where is that beautiful wife? And what was in that silvery gift box hidden in the back of her bedroom closet?
A rich and multi-layered novel, the book alternates between points of view of the husband and wife, leaving the reader unsure which narrator is the reliable one. The balance of these perspectives requires a very skilled director and we all know that Fincher has the ability to tell complex, dark stories.
Reese Witherspoon will produce the project at 20th Century Fox via her Pacific Standard banner. No word on whether she will star in the film. I think David Fincher is a brilliant choice and this would fit tonally with his prior films. There is no word on when we can expect to see GONE GIRL, but it would be tough for me find another major director who would give the novel the treatment it deserves.