Sony Pictures has optioned English-language screen rights to "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," and Steve Zaillian is in talks to write the script.
"Dragon Tattoo" is the first of a trilogy by the late Swedish journalist Stieg Larsson that were discovered by his family after he died. The other books are "The Girl Who Played With Fire" and "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest."
"Dragon Tattoo" has already been filmed in Sweden, produced by Yellow Bird and released in February across Europe, where it has done good business. Music Box Films plans to release the film in the U.S. in March and is screening it in Los Angeles this week.
The Swedish-language version is directed by Danish director Niels Arden Oplev and stars Michael Nyqvist, Noomi Rapace and Lena Andre; the script is by Rasmus Heisterberg and Nikolaj Arcel.
Yellow Bird's Ole Sondberg and Soren Staermose will produce the English-language film with Scott Rudin.
Yellow Bird's Mikael Wallen and Anni Fernandez are executive producers.
Variety said Sony has been pursuing the books for six months but ran into rights problems.
The story was first reported on Thompson on Hollywood.
