Even though Summit Entertainment did Catherine Hardwicke dirty by kicking her off Twilight sequel New Moon, amid accusations that she was "irrational" and "emotional" and other female-centric critiques, Hardwicke agreed to return to the studio to make If I Stay. And now Hardwicke will be spreading the newfound girl power around, hiring Shauna Cross to write the adaptation of Gayle Forman's novel on which the film will be based.
Cross has some experience writing for women as it is-- she wrote the screenplay for Whip It!, Drew Barrymore's directorial debut that features Ellen Page as a kick-ass roller derby girl. Variety's plot description suggests a similar to Twilight supernatural vibe: "Story centers on a gifted classical musician and her indie rockstar boyfriend who's forced to choose between life and death when she's in a car accident with her family."
I didn't love Twilight, and don't feel confident that I'll necessarily want to see whatever Hardwicke makes next. But if Summit is overcompensating for firing Hardwicke by making more female-driven, female-made films, that's completely fine by me. Even if the movies turn out terribly, the equal-opportunity employment is only a good thing.
