Diablo Cody writing the script for the big screen adaption of Francine Pascal’s Sweet Valley High isn’t news, however, in the wake of the book release of Sweet Valley Confidential, which revisits the Wakefield twins as adults, there’s an update on the movie. Word is, the script is written.
Last night E! News debunked the apparent rumor that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen were to play Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield in the movie and then announced the following update on Academy Award winning writer Diablo Cody penning the script, stating:
On the heels of this week's release of the long awaited book Sweet Valley Confidential comes word that Diablo Cody will help bring twins Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield to life on the big screen. A source confirms to E News that the Oscar winner will be writing and producing the project.
That bit of news has been floating around since 2009, however there’s another update on the script. Cody tweeted this a few hours ago:
Love seeing all the Sweet Valley High chatter this morning. FYI, script is written, but surprises still in store. 1DIABLO1
I read some of the Sweet Valley High books growing up but I was more of a Babysitters Club girl. Maybe it’s an East Coast/West Coast thing. I guess I related more to the enterprising girls who teamed up to babysit as many kids as they could find in their small Connecticut suburb much more than I did two blond twins from California. All the same, I’m strangely fascinated by the idea of Diablo Cody’s take on the series.
One of the things that works so well in Juno and Jennifer’s Body (a movie I can’t not watch whenever I come across it on HBO) is the dialogue among the female characters. It’s realistic and blended with an above-average level of wittiness and humor. Juno, Leah, Jennifer and Needy aren’t these squeaky clean images of what some might say an American teenage girl is supposed act or talk like. Thinking back to what I remember of Sweet Valley High, I can’t picture Jessica and Elizabeth Wakefield hanging out with with those girls. Sure, Jessica was more likely to cut class occasionally, while Elizabeth was more reserved, but I don’t remember either of them as being all that edgy.
It should probably be noted that it’s been more than a few years since I’ve read those books and I’m certain there’s some stuff from the adapted TV series in the ‘90’s mixed in with what I remember of the characters. Regardless, fans should love the idea of Cody on this project and I’m very interested to learn more about the film as more details emerge and whatever surprises Cody referenced in her tweet are revealed.
