Kirsten Dunst to Make Directing Debut With Sylvia Plath’s ‘The Bell Jar’
Dakota Fanning set to star in adaptation of 1963 novel
Meriah Doty and Rasha Ali | July 20, 2016 @ 12:52 PM
Last Updated: July 20, 2016 @ 3:06 PM
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Kirsten Dunst has signed on to direct a big-screen adaptation of “The Bell Jar,” the 1963 novel of the same name by Sylvia Plath, TheWrap has learned.
Dakota Fanning has been cast in the lead role of Esther Greenwood.
Having only directed two short films, this will be Dunst’s first time helming a feature-length movie.
“The Bell Jar” is about a young Bostonian woman who lands an internship with a major magazine in New York City. She is ultimately unimpressed with the big city and has some frightening experiences during her time there. Upon her return home, she ends up struggling with depression.
“The Stanford Prison Experiment” producer Priority Pictures optioned remake rights from Studio Canal, and production is eyed to start in first-quarter 2017.
Dunst was recently nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie for her role in “Fargo.” The actress has also recently wrapped up filming alongside Kevin Costner and Taraji P. Henson for “Hidden Figures.”
She is represented by UTA and Management 360.
Fanning has recently finished filming for Ewan McGregor‘s “American Pastoral,” which is also a film adaptation of the novel by Philip Roth.
The Men of Indie Summer: From Freakish to Infatuated (Photos)
The men in this summer's slate of indie films are far from ordinary: Colin Farrell stars as a neurotic in the wonderfully weird romantic comedy "The Lobster" and Daniel Radcliffe is a dead guy in "Swiss Army Man." A young Barack Obama is depicted in "Southside with You" and then there is the lovestruck Jesse Eisenberg in "Café Society."
Click through to see more from The Men of Indie Summer:
A24
Daniel Radcliffe plays a dead man come back to life in the mind of a stranded man (Paul Dano) in the surreal "Swiss Army Man." The adventurous comedy, also with Mary Elizabeth Winstead, debuts in theaters July 1.
A24
Men in this summer's indies are also unafraid to share the screen in female-focused films. Take Ethan Hawke in "Maggie's Plan." He's the married man being bounced around between Greta Gerwig and Julianne Moore. It opens in select theaters May 20.
Sony Pictures Classics
Stephen Fry (center) and Xavier Samuel (left) appear in "Love & Friendship," in select theaters now. Based on the Jane Austen novel, the matchmaking-themed comedy stars Kate Beckinsale and Chloë Sevigny and is an absolute hit with critics, earning a 100 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
Roadside Attractions
"The Lobster" has won raves from critics, featuring Colin Farrell as a nervous man tasked with finding love -- or else he'll turn into the animal of his choosing. The unconventional rom-com, also with Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly and Ben Whishaw, is out now in select theaters.
A24
Jesse Eisenberg stars opposite frequent collaborator Kristen Stewart in Woody Allen's "Café Society," opening in select theaters July 15. In spite of the Cannes Film Festival controversy surrounding Allen, the 1930s-era romantic comedy, also with Blake Lively and Steve Carell, has earned a warm 72 percent Rotten Tomatoes score.
Lionsgate
Parker Sawyers proves a strong resemblance in silhouette and mannerism to a pre-presidential Barack Obama, depicted in "Southside with You." The film, in theaters Aug. 26, retraces the first date of the future president and first lady (played by Tika Sumpter) as they traverse the southside of Chicago. And yes, critics like it a lot.
Miramax
Chris Pine, Ben Foster, and Jeff Bridges star in the Texas-set crime drama "Hell or High Water," about two brothers who hatch a risky plan to save their family's farm. It's set to open Aug. 12.
CBS Films
Forget "Little Women" and get out to see "Little Men," a small-budget comedy with Alfred Molina and Greg Kinnear. The story centers two friends (boys played by newcomers Theo Taplitz and Michael Barbieri) whose parents battle over a dress shop lease. It opens in select theaters Aug. 5.
Magnolia Pictures
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Small films this summer show men in new light: farcical Colin Farrell, pre-presidential Obama on a date, more
The men in this summer's slate of indie films are far from ordinary: Colin Farrell stars as a neurotic in the wonderfully weird romantic comedy "The Lobster" and Daniel Radcliffe is a dead guy in "Swiss Army Man." A young Barack Obama is depicted in "Southside with You" and then there is the lovestruck Jesse Eisenberg in "Café Society."
Click through to see more from The Men of Indie Summer:
A24
A24
