Gillian Flynn is the Gone Girl novelist who later adapted her own work for David Fincher’s 2014 feature, starring Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike. That twisted debauched tale put its creator in the spotlight, quite rightly so, and she’s now landed another adaptation deal. For her next effort, Flynn will collaborate with Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen (12 Years A Slave, Shame) on his upcoming feature Widows.
The movie is based on a UK series than ran for three seasons up until 1995 and revolved around the hijinks of three recent widows. Written by Prime Suspect scribe Linda LaPlante, it traced the dalliances of three widows who club together to finish a job after their husbands are killed trying to pull off a heist. Trust us, it’s as brilliant as it sounds, largely thanks to La Plante’s scripting and the cast of characters.
For McQueen’s big screen remake the action will relocate across the pond to a major US city. Making things a little more even, the leading trio are said to be expanding to four women. Alas, there’s no news on who might be playing any of those roles, but with the double-whammy of Flynn and McQueen attached – expect quite a scramble.
Flynn’s involvement now makes Widows her second British TV adaptation, as she’s currently reuniting with her Gone Girl director to craft an American remake of Brit series Utopia for HBO. Taking her back catalogue into consideration the fact that she’s hooked onto another gritty female-led movie is certainly a most welcome prospect for moviegoers.