Indie auteur Andrea Arnold has already made a name for herself with just two features under her belt, both of them-- Fish Tank and Red Road-- taking dark psychological looks at modern women in potentially perilous circumstances. You'd think she would stick to her path of writing and directing her own films, but Arnold has thrown in a curveball-- Variety is reporting that she'll be directing an adaptation of Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
The movie has gone through a revolving door of cast and director changes over the past few years, with Natalie Portman and Gemma Arterton both at one point attached to play the lead character, and directors Peter Webber and John Maybury both signing on before bailing. No actors are currently attached, but given the rave reviews that both Katie Jarvis and Michael Fassbender received for their Fish Tank performances, I imagine there will be people lining up for the honor.
Fassbender actually was considered for a role in an earlier incarnation of the film, but given that Arnold apparently intends to focus on the characters as teenagers-- lead character Catherine is 18 during most of the book-- Fassbender is likely too old to qualify. It'll be interesting to see if Arnold sticks to her indie guns and goes with an unknown for the role, or if this is a step toward a starrier career. Either way, she's earned the right to do how she pleases.
