Category Archives: Optioned Books

‘Walking Dead’ creator Robert Kirkman Pens Prequel Novel ‘The Road to Woodbury’

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The Governor is coming. All indications say the character debuting on The Walking Dead, Season Three on AMC, will be just as formidable as the Walkers are. That exciting season kicks of October 14th, but you can also find more about The Governor in print. And I’m not just talking comic book pages.

The Governor, to be acted by David Morrissey on the popular series, rules Woodbury with an iron fist so to speak. But all good villains have an origin story. Ready to learn his?

Well, get ready, because The Walking Dead comic writer and television series executive producer, Mr. Robert Kirkman, has been illuminating the past of The Governor and his rise to dictatorship with some help from coauthor Jay Bonansinga. The end result are a series of books on the subject.

Last year The Rise of the Governor debuted in print and now the sequel (to the prequel), titled, The Road to Woodbury, becomes available on in Oct. 16th, where ever books are sold. And the Governor isn’t the only topic in the story. Biographical material is present on several other Walking Dead comic book characters.

Entertainment Weekly asked Kirkman some questions about all things zombie. The first of which was about what collaboration between himself and Jay Bonansinga has been like.

The easiest way to say it is that I write a skeleton and then he comes in and turns it into a human being. I write a document that’s basically, ‘Here’s the characters, here’s the journey, here are these events that happen to them.’ …he comes in and miraculously spins it into prose and adds all of the vocabulary that I don’t understand and turns it into a well-rounded novel.”

Next, the creative mind was asked about having sympathy for The Governor, to which Kirkman explained that human beings do tend to empathize with what his apocalyptic survivors are going through.

He says, “For the most part, the majority of the decisions [The Governor’s] making, and the actions he’s taking are the kind of things that you would have to do to be a leader in this world. That’s a little terrifying and it’s supposed to be a little uncomfortable but, you know, there’s definitely a lot of grey areas going on in this guy’s life.”

Kirkman also revealed that he plans to pen at least one more novel in this series.

The second novel progresses the Governor’s timeline a lot more and is getting you closer and closer to the events that occurred in the comic book series. And so some of the events in the comic book series are actually going to appear in the third novel. The third novel is going to be a whole new story but you’re actually going to get to see Rick Grimes and Michonne and some of the other characters, which you haven’t seen in the novel series thus far. So I’m pretty excited about the third novel. But I’m not as excited about that as I am the second novel, which everyone should rush out and buy!”

Lastly, and most comically, Entertainment Weekly asked Kirkman to comment on the gruesome killing of a major character in this summer’s 100th issue of The Walking Dead comic book. Don’t worry, there are no spoilers here, but can you imagine how the actor in the AMC network series reacted when he learned of this?

It was very awkward for me. It’s very difficult for me to say this without spoiling who it is but this is the first time I killed a comic character and had to encounter the actor after doing it. So it was a little awkward. I just kind of walked up to him and was like, ‘So, um… Sorry?'”

Hey, that’s the way the zombiepocalypse crumbles.

Seed

Amazon Studios Options Ania Ahlborn’s ‘Seed’

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Seed

Horror is coming to Amazon, hopefully in a very good way. Amazon Studios is the department of the web giant where original content is fostered. It has also just optioned the rights to Seed, from author Ania Ahlborn. Seed began as a very popular horror novel for 47North, which is Amazon Publishing’s science fiction, fantasy, and horror imprint.

Seed first made its debut in 2011 as a self-published work of scary fiction. Amazingly, it soon became Amazon’s #1 best-selling horror novel. There was no real advertising campaign in place either. Seed‘s popularity is due to its genius and to word of mouth.

After the initial run, Seed was re-released in 2012. This occurred after some re-tooling by Ahlborn, who also added over six thousand words to the original manuscript.

The story of Seed‘s success sounds an awful lot like the story of Hugh Howey, who self published his short story/ novelette, Wool, also through Amazon and gained uncommon notoriety through word of mouth. Howey reportedly fixed typos along the way thanks to readers’ feedback. Wool is now an entire series and may have a big screen adaptation in its future as well.

That’s the big news this week. Amazon Studios wants to make Seed into a feature film. They have already began the testing phase for an adaptation.

The novel takes place in the deep South and centers around a man who unfortunately has a demon who won’t get off of his back, literally.

This is the first time Amazon Studios has ever optioned a novel in its circulation before. Usually only movie scripts and episodic series projects are funneled through Amazon Studios.

Our primary objective at Amazon Studios is to develop great, commercial projects that our customers love,” said Roy Price, Director, Amazon Studios. “Ania Ahlborn’s Seed has been a top seller for Amazon Publishing’s 47North so we already have a sense of the mainstream attraction of the story and are excited to keep the project in-house for movie development.”

A trailer contest was recently held, allowing fans of the horror novel the chance at creating what would be chosen to be the official Seed book trailer. The winning entry is called “Grinning Demons”. It’s makers won $3,000, and was personally selected as the best by the author Ania Ahlborn. Her other big news is that her second book, The Neighbors, premiers November 27.

Here’s the synopsis for Seed:

With nothing but the clothes on his back—and something horrific snapping at his heels—Jack Winter fled his rural Georgia home when he was still just a boy. Watching the world he knew vanish in a trucker’s rear-view mirror, he thought he was leaving an unspeakable nightmare behind forever. But years later, the bright new future he’s built suddenly turns pitch black, as something fiendishly familiar looms dead ahead.

When Jack, his wife Aimee, and their two small children survive a violent car crash, it seems like a miracle. But Jack knows what he saw on the road that night, and it wasn’t divine intervention. The profound evil from his past won’t let them die…at least not quickly. It’s back, and it’s hungry; ready to make Jack pay for running, to work its malignant magic on his angelic youngest daughter, and to whisper a chilling promise: I’ve always been here, and I’ll never leave.

Writer Danny Strong Joins ‘The Hunger Games: Mockingjay’

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The Hunger Games: Mockingjay

I’ll admit I was hoping the circumstances behind The Hunger Games movie could be repeated for all the sequels. The screenplay for that film, the first adaptation based upon the series of best sellers penned by Suzanne Collins, was written by the man who was also the director, Mr. Gary Ross. He had some help from Collins, the author herself, and screenwriter Billy Ray. That’s the writer behind Hart’s War and State of Play, not the country music singer.

I guess keeping this formula was a wish that couldn’t be granted. When we look back at the Twilight movies and The Harry Potter series, directorial duties often changed hands from sequel to sequel. It’s probably a lot to ask of one director to commit so many years to one franchise. Of course, the actors do it, don’t they? And in these particular cases, they are young actors, so there’s a bit of a rush to push these film adaptations out before they age too much and can’t believably portray their characters anymore. The nice thing is, we do see characters like these grow up as their stories unravel, so a little aging is natural and it works.

At any rate, film two in The Hunger Games series is called Catching Fire. It premiers November 22, 2013 from Lionsgate and has a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy and Michael Arndt. Beaufoy won both a Golden Globe and an Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay when he penned Slumdog Millionaire, which means two things. For one, the Catching Fire script is in wonderful hands. For another, this man knows adaptations. He wrote the big screen adaptation of Salmon Fishing in the Yemen, which was one of the most believably adorable romances I’ve seen in years. Catching Fire will be directed by Water for Elephants director Francis Lawrence.

It is the third film in the franchise, Mockingjay, which is making headlines this week. The writer doing the adapting for the screenplay for that installment will be Danny Strong.

I recognized Strong’s face right away as belonging to the actor who was Paris Geller’s boyfriend Doyle McMasters on the set of Gilmore Girls. Remember him? Well he also writes screenplays. In fact, he wrote the film adaptation of Game Change, which was based on the book written by John Heilemann and Mark Halperin called Game Change: Obama and the Clintons, McCain and Palin, and the Race of a Lifetime. I know that’s a mouthful, but just remember it’s the film Julianne Moore portrays Sarah Palin. Strong has two Emmy Awards. That’s nothing to sneeze at. Rumor has it he was approached about doing an adaptation of Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, too.

The Hunger Games is on DVD now. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire opens on November 22nd, 2013 and The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 is slated for November 21st, 2014. It will be followed by Part 2 on November 20th, 2015, provided there’s no apocalypse before that time, and we don’t find ourselves living in a real life dystopian society like the one in The Hunger Games.

Psychos and Silver Linings: Toronto Film Festival Awards Winners

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The 2012 Toronto International Film Festival is a highly anticipated and followed showcase that exhibits some of the world’s best and brightest in the film community. Original stories are on display and producers vie for the hottest ticket on the ballot. Of the 239 films shown, eleven took home official awards. With a fantastic lineup of movies– some touted as sure Oscar bait this year– the festival was filled with chills, thrills, and psycho pills, proving that the Toronto knows how to differentiate itself from the rest of the festivals.

BlackBerry People’s Choice Award Winner: “Silver Linings Playbook”

This award is for the most popular film as voted on by audiences at the festival. David O. Russell (“The Fighter”) directs acting school alum Bradley Cooper as a teacher who returns home to live with his folks (Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, “Animal Kingdom”) in Philly, following his release from a mental hospital. While coping with returning to reality, Cooper gets involved with a young widow (Jennifer Lawrence, “The Hunger Games”) who is just as off-kilter. The dramedy also stars Julia Stiles and Chris “Where Have You Been” Tucker.

BlackBerry People’s Choice Documentary Award Winner: “Artifact”

Bartholomew Cubbins examines the nature of the music business today though intimate access to actor/musician Jared Leto and his band 30 Seconds to Mars. The film covers the band as they record their album “This is War,” and fight record label EMI in a nasty lawsuit. No one gets in the way of an artist and his music.

BlackBerry People’s Choice Midnight Madness Award Winner: “Seven Psychopaths”

A veritable dream team of actors bring this quirky, sure-to-be cult hit, to life. Writer/director Martin McDonagh follows a struggling screenwriter (Colin Farrell) as he tries to complete a script. His best friend, an unemployed actor who could probably use a stint in acting school (Sam Rockwell), wants to help and the pair quickly get involved in a dognapping scheme gone awry, mixed up with serial-killers who prey on serial-killers and other off the wall characters. Weedy Harrelson, Christopher Walken, Tom Waits and Harry Dean Stanton also lend their talents to this “wacky, blood-spattered commentary on the psycho-killer thriller.”

City of Toronto & Canada Goose Award for Best Canadian Feature: “Laurence Anyways”

A jury of industry professionals chose Xavier Dolan’s French-language romance as the best feature film by a Canadian filmmaker. Described as “Wuthering Heights relocated to the wilds of Montreal, with a transgender Heathcliff and a punked-out Catherine” the film is visually breathtaking and a daring examination of the nature of love and sexuality.

Award For Best Canadian Short Film: “Keep a Modest Head”

One of several French-language winners, this Deco Dawson short film is a unique eulogy for Jean Benoît, the last official French Surrealist.

The SKYY Vodka Award for Best Canadian First Feature Film: “Antiviral” & “Blackbird”

Brandon Cronenberg’s “Viral” is a satirical examination of our celebrity and spectacle-obsessed culture set in a dystopian future. In “Blackbird,” Jason Buxton examines the culture of fear and social media that has evolved in the wake of the Columbine tragedy and other school shootings.

International Critics’ Prize (FIPRESCI Prize) – Discovery: “In the House”

This French-language film from François Ozon is an adaptation of Juan Mayorga’s “The Boy in the Last Row” and is described as a “chilling, crystalline thriller.”

NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) award: “The Land of Hope”

Director Sion Sono tells the tale of a (fictional) rural family’s struggle to survive after the nuclear crisis resulting from the Thoku earthquake.

Grolsch Film Works Discovery Award: “Detroit Unleaded”

Rola Nashef took home an award for her first feature-length film about a Lebanese-American youth coming of age as he takes over the family business.

For a closer look at other TIFF hits, watch the video below from The Guardian UK.

Article written by Sarah Owens

Sarah loves music, theater, films and books. She is a multi-media guru who is always hungry for information. She is originally from Akron, Ohio, and now calls the Denver area home.

The Care and Feeding of Exotic Pets

Ken Kwapis Options ‘The Care And Feeding Of Exotic Pets’

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The Care and Feeding of Exotic Pets

The Care And Feeding Of Exotic Pets is an upcoming novel by Diana Wagman. IG Publishing releases the thriller on November 13th, but it must be especially exciting, because there is already a film adaptation in the works.

Ken Kwapis and Alexandra Beattie run the production company called In Cahoots. Cute name, yes? In Cahoots has won the rights to adapt The Care And Feeding Of Exotic Pets. Kwapis will direct the motion picture and it appears he is also working on the adapted screenplay.

The Care And Feeding Of Exotic Pets follows main character Winnie Parker, the mother of a teenage daughter who is quite the handful, and the ex-wife of a popular and well-known game show host who has left her for a hot, young contestant, whom he met on air. Winnie’s life feels pretty mundane and probably a bit unlucky, until she kicks off a brand new day by leaving her car with a mechanic. She accepts a ride to the rental car place, but she isn’t actually getting a ride at all. It dawns on her that she’s been kidnapped. Talk about things going from bad to worse.

Next, Winnie ends up inside the kidnappers house, which is most unusual. You see, the home is tropically heated. The kidnapper keeps it this way for the betterment of his house pet, Cookie, a seven-foot long Iguana with attitude. Now that’s a sinister setting for what has been described as a riveting psychological game of cat and mouse. Apart from having a penchant for exotic pets, the kidnapper gets more and more crazy as Winnie tries both to free herself and figure out why she’s been taken in the first place.

According to Amazon, the novel is, “An engrossing, darkly humorous, edge-of-your-seat story, [that] explores the dynamic between kidnapper and kidnapped, bizarre reptile lore, and the absurdity of the celebrity lifestyle.”

I’m ready to watch this one. They ought to cast Michael Shannon as the kidnapper.

Ken Kwapis’ bread and butter thus far seems to be in chick lit adaptations. Some people think of chick lit as a four-letter word, but I think He’s Just Not That into You, which he directed, is a bit of a new classic. We don’t get too many When Harry Met Sally type films these days. Although ensemble romantic comedies can be terrible, I thought He’s Just Not That into You was entertaining and fun. He also directed The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, which also had it’s charm and appeal. Casting for both those women-centric dramadies was excellent.

It will; however, be interesting to see Kawpis direct something with bite. There’s a dark edge to The Care And Feeding Of Exotic Pets.

If you want to read the story before the film debuts, it is available for pre-order at Amazon and through Barnes & Noble. Wagman’s previous novels are called Bump, Spontaneous and Skin Deep. Spontaneous won an award for literary fiction in 2001.

Kwapis and Beattie also work in television. They shopped two half-hour comedies to NBC and have two Showtime pilots in development. We all know the quality for which the Showtime network is usually known, so those will be shows to track. They are also working on a film called Alive And Well, written by David Hubbard.

City of Bones

‘The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones’ Graphic Novel Adaptation Available Now

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City of Bones

We did Twilight. We have all the DVDs (Well, except for Breaking Dawn, part two, coming to theaters later this year). We’ve done The Hunger Games, film one. We even have the T-shirt. One of the next young adult paranormal book series to get it’s big screen adaptation will be City of Bones, which is Cassandra Clare’s book one in her The Mortal Instruments series. Will it be just as hot? That remains to be seen. The film won’t hit until the summer of 2013. That isn’t too far off now, but there’s something even closer.

A Graphic Novel adaptation of the popular series is available now.

According to the official press release, as we speak, digital booksellers are stocking their cyber shelves with paranormal graphic novel goodness. Cassandra Clare is a New York Times bestselling author. Her other series includes The Infernal Devices Trilogy and The Dark Artifices Trilogy. Clare, along with the publisher Th3rd World Studios, has envisioned a series of graphic novels that re-deliver the well-loved urban fantasy trilogy known as The Mortal Instruments. Today marks an exclusive digital release ofor Issue #1 of The City of Bones, available on comiXology, in iPhone, iPad, Android, Kindle Fire, Windows 8, and Web formats. There will be nine issues also to be released digitally later on.

The Mortal Instruments is an incredibly successful and engaging series of books; we are very excited to bring this series to a new audience through this collaboration with Cassie and comiXology,” said Th3rd World Co-Publisher Michael DeVito.

Th3rd World Co-Publisher Jon Conkling added, “The Mortal Instruments series has a passionate fan base who care greatly about this wonderful series so we have been working hard to remain as faithful to the source material as possible.”

The writer doing the adapting of Clare’s material is veteran comics author Mike Raicht. His published works include Dark Shadows, GI Joe, and The Stuff of Legend series. The art for the series is coming from newcomer Nicole Virella. Her style is a little unique, I think you’ll find. Colors are handled by Jeremy Mohler and lettering by Steve Wands.

If you haven’t yet read the books, then you don’t know that City of Bones features the first meeting of Jace and Clary. Clary is a fifteen-year-old who has just become aware of the existence of Shadowhunters, a secret warriors keeping our world safe from demons out of our world. Valentine, one such the evil Shadowhunter, Clary is pretty sure may have killed her mother. Jace is an attractive Shadowhunter imbued with the blood of an angel.

Readers can instantly download the digital version of the City of Bones graphic novel starting on September 26th through comiXology. The rest of the series will continue digital releases every month.

The original Mortal Instruments series has already won numerous awards. It has sold millions worldwide in multiple languages and has inspired sequels and prequels. Screen Gems is in production for the film adaptation of City of Bones with a screenplay penned by Jessica Postigo.

Lily Collins will star as Clary Fray and Jamie Campbell Bower is Jace Wayland, with hottie Jonathan Rhys Meyers as Valentine.

Hilary Swank to Star in ‘You’re not You’

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Director George C. Wolfe just landed actress Hilary Swank to star his adaptation of the novel You’re Not You. The book was the very first novel by Michelle Wildgen. Wolfe also directed The Devil Wears Prada and Nights in Rodanthe.

Wildgen’s book follows her main character, “Bec”, who will be acted by Swank. Bec sleeping with her married professor during the summer of her junior year at college. She has lost focus, interest, and direction. Soon, Bec finds herself in a job as caretaker for Kate, a thirty-six-year-old woman with ALS.

In a way, the flavor of Devil Wears Prada is evident. You see, before Kate was assaulted by her disease, she was quite the high powered gal. She was an advertising executive and a world class chef. Kate begins to give some of her sass to the younger Bec.

This would sound wonderful, except Bec’s dedication and attention to Kate still has got her college classes suffering and has a domino effect upon Kate’s marriage. Bec will soon have to decide between her two lifestyles.

On of the difficulties for Bec is the way she seems to be taking on Kate’s husband’s usual roles in Kate’s life.

Swank is planning to add producing to her role as star for You’re not You, via her company, 2S Banner, along with partners Molly Smith, Denise Di Novi and Alison Greenspan. Filming begins in Los Angeles this November.

Swank films have dwindled to about one a year lately. she starred as Amelia in 2009 and was nominated for the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role for Conviction, which was a great crime thriller drama pairing her with Sam Rockwell. The Resident was a creepy thriller from 2011, where her co-star Jeffrey Dean Morgan is both sexy and terrifying. Her last film was New Year’s Eve.

Anne Hathaway in Talks for Spielberg’s ‘Robopocalypse’

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As if the novel, Robopocalypse, weren’t already fascinating enough on its own, things just got a little more interesting. That tends to happen when Anne Hathaway’s name gets dropped!

Robopocalypse is that novel with the stunning cover, the one depicting a close-up of shiny, white, feminine robot’s face with black eyelashes and devil red eyes. From author Daniel H. Wilson, it reveals a future for humanity under the reign of a childlike, yet extremely powerful A.I. called Archos. Think Skynet from the Terminator series. Archos is a the global network of machines that has turned against mankind. At the very brink of extinction, a few scattered survivors manage to team up and develop a strategy for taking back their world.

The book has plenty of acclaim. It has been likened to The Andromeda Strain and to works by sci-fi giant, Robert Heinlein. Stephen King sang it’s praises, too. It’s noteworthy that the author has a PhD in robotics.

None other than Steven Spielberg himself is adapting the action-packed book into film. Tom Rothman has signed on as producer and Dark Knight Rises actress, Anne Hathaway is in negotiations to act in Robopocalypse.

The picture will be co-produced between DreamWorks and Fox, with Disney in charge of domestic distribution. A release date of April 25, 2014 has already been chosen.

Fox and Spielberg also worked together on the futuristic film, Minority Report. DreamWorks scooped up the property way back in 2009, purchasing the rights before Wilson’s manuscript was ever published!

Steven Spielberg said in a statement, “When someone like Tom is a free agent, you snatch him up fast. He has proven himself to be a necessity of this industry. At Fox he had already been an enthusiastic partner on Robopocalypse, and it is to our advantage that he would come produce this film with me. Tom has been a wonderful friend and colleague over the years and DreamWorks is incredibly lucky to have him on board.”

Tom Rothman said, “If you are in politics, you dream of a call from the White House, in baseball, from the Yankees, in movies, fromSteven Spielberg. Robopocalypse is the kind of important epic entertainment, a big movie with big ideas, that Steven does better than any filmmaker on earth. I am honored beyond measure that he asked for my help on it and fired up to do whatever I can for him, Stacey, the outstanding DreamWorks team, and all of my friends at Fox. I enjoyed the idea of being unemployed for a week, but this will be way more fun.”

I think Anne Hathaway is an excellent choice for this property. She has more than proven she can hold her own as an action star thanks to her turn as Catwoman, a role I was surprised she pulled off so amazingly well. The adaptation of Les Mis is only going to further catapult the young actress into the public eye. We are already hearing reports that hunk Chris Hemsworth may also try for a role in Robopocalypse. Do you think those two would have adequate chemistry? I hear Ben Whishaw, who will be appearing in another sci-fi film, The Cloud Atlas, is also looking at a part.

Jena Malone

Jena Malone ‘Catching Fire’ Talks Intense Training

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Jena Malone

Last March The Hunger Games took cinemas by storm. The hot, action sequel, Catching Fire makes its debut November 22, 2013. Although the stars who survived The Hunger Games and live on to tell their tales will be returning, Catching Fire also brings with it some new faces. One of those fresh faces belongs to 27-year-old Jena Malone. She’s on fire in more ways than one.

The Hunger Games trilogy is bloody popular. I know several men who have read the popular young adult dystopian series penned by Suzanne Collins, and I just can’t say that about Stephenie Meyer’s Twilight, nor her stand alone work, The Host. The material is action-packed, easy to relate to, at times harrowing, and delivered via the perspective of Katniss Everdeen, a strong, capable, flawed character men and women both seem to love. I say all that to say this: Who doesn’t want to be a member of the cast for the film adaptations? That makes the actors actually chosen for films feel pretty lucky. Jena Malone is no exception.

I’m very excited as well, it’s going to be great,” Malone said. “I just love the books so much. I literally read all three in four days and just was crying at the end. I’m really, really excited to be a part of it.”

Many of us have similar stories about the way we first read The Hunger Games. There’s something shared, something universal about these books.

Malone gets the chance to bring to life District 7’s Johanna Mason. Most of Suzanne Collins’ characters are multi-layered and complex, but Johanna is also fearless, raucous and sexy. For that reason, Malone was an excellent choice to play her. She not only has a feisty side, but she has the acting chops to play real depth. If any actress is going to fit into the shoes of a lady who intimidates Katniss, it’s Malone. Malone also has some experience with physical work and that’s coming in handy right about now.

Oh yeah, I’m in the thick of [training] but excited,” she said. “I love that kind of stuff. Sucker Punch kind of got me into a regimen and now I kind of crave it.”

Johanna Mason is a former Hunger Games tribute and champion of the Games. This means she’s a bit older than Katniss and has become a mentor to new tributes. That mentor role, the role Haymich played for Katniss and Peeta, is also a role the District 12 sweethearts, the archer and the baker, get to play moving forward. Mind you, Johanna may have an axe to grind. Follow my logic. If she’s a mentor, and Katniss and Peeta won the last Games, they likely killed the Tributes Mason was mentoring. Oops.

Johanna also gets more and more involved as we go deeper into the story.

In Catching Fire audiences will become familiar with the Quarter Quell, a set of Games with especially treacherous circumstances. As if they weren’t terrible enough already? This year President Snow will decree that former winners get put back in the lottery to compete in the horror yet again. That means Haymitch’s name could be drawn…or Katniss or Peeta’s! And yes, Johanna will be back in contention to be drawn within her district, too.

The only sad bit of news is that Kristen Bell, who is obsessed with The Hunger Games, won’t be playing Johanna Mason. I think she also could have done a good job with the role.

Catching Fire will be directed by Francis Lawrence. Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson and Liam Hemsworth reprise their roles. Phillip Seymour Hoffman has been cast as new Gamemaker Plutarch Heavensbee. Sam Claflin won the much coveted role of Finnick Odair.

The Barbarian Nurseries

Daniel Barnz to Adapt ‘The Barbarian Nurseries’

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The Barbarian Nurseries

Daniel Barnz is having a good career. This week’s headline reveals the director’s involvement in adapting the Héctor Tobar novel called The Barbarian Nurseries. The film project should be kind to the director because adaptations are fast becoming the gentleman’s forte.

Barnz recently made Variety’s list of the top ten up and coming directors to watch. He wowed Sundance Film Festival audiences in 2008 with the release of Phoebe in Wonderland. Starring Elle Fanning, Felicity Huffman, Patricia Clarkson and Bill Pullman, the picture is about a child diagnosed with Tourette syndrome.

But it was adapting the young adult novel, Beastly, which may have given the director a taste for adaptations. That one wasn’t brilliant, but it had its moments. It starred Alex Pettyfer, Vanessa Hudgens and Neil Patrick Harris. The coolest casting in that one was definitely giving Mary-Kate Olsen the role of a modern-day witch.

This weekend Barnz will debut Won’t Back Down, based on the events of 2010, when the parent trigger law was used in Sunland-Tujunga, Los Angeles. It stars Maggie Gyllenhaal and Viola Davis. Barnz is a Yale graduate and also attended the University of Southern California Film School. The Barbarian Nurseries‘ story is also set in Southern California.

When Barnz revealed his attachment to The Barbarian Nurseries, he said,

It’s a great natural step from this one because like Won’t Back Down, it’s also essentially a human drama that has some political overtones and so I’m very drawn to those kinds of films.

The tale examines the life of a modern-day, California-based, mixed-race couple. Some have called the novel a West Coast update on Tom Wolfe’s Bonfire of the Vanities. The Barbarian Nurseries is a story about the intricacies of family and a major character is the Mexican maid. It has made a few best read of the year lists and one reviewer called it “a masterful tale of contemporary Los Angeles, a novel as alive as the city itself.” There’s also a search for a long-lost father, which I wager many will be able to relate to.

If you liked Spanglish, starring Adam Sandler, Paz Vega, and Téa Leoni, then keep your eye on The Barbarian Nurseries. It should be even better and a little more realistic, but just as funny.

Author Héctor Tobar also wrote The Tattooed Soldier. He’s a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist as well.