The Lovely Bones (film)


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The Lovely Bones
Directed by Peter Jackson
Produced by Peter Jackson
Fran Walsh
Carolynne Cunningham
Aimée Peyronnet
Written by Novel:
Alice Sebold
Screenplay:
Peter Jackson
Fran Walsh
Philippa Boyens
Starring Saoirse Ronan
Rachel Weisz
Mark Wahlberg
Stanley Tucci
Susan Sarandon
Amanda Michalka
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release date(s) October 2009
Country New Zealand
United States
Language English
Budget $65 million[1]

The Lovely Bones is a film adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alice Sebold, intended for release between September and November 2009.[2] The film was directed by Peter Jackson and stars actress Saoirse Ronan as Susie Salmon, with Rachel Weisz and Mark Wahlberg as her parents, Susan Sarandon as her grandmother and Stanley Tucci as George Harvey, her murderer.

Feature rights to Sebold's novel had been bought by Film4 Productions when it was only a manuscript with Lynne Ramsay attached to write and direct, but the company was eventually shut down. Jackson and his producer partners eventually acquired the rights independently and developed a script on their own, later selling it to DreamWorks. Production began in October 2007 in New Zealand and Pennsylvania. Paramount became sole distributor a year later when they split with DreamWorks.[1]

Contents

Synopsis

In 1973, Susie Salmon (Ronan) is raped and murdered by a neighbor, George Harvey (Tucci), a serial killer of young girls. She finds herself in Heaven, observing her family as they grieve for her. She also watches her killer who, having covered his tracks successfully, is preparing to murder again. Susie struggles to balance her desire for vengeance on Harvey and her desire to have her family recover from their loss.[3]

Cast

The role of Jack Salmon had to be recast right before principal photography began. Ryan Gosling, who had gained 20 pounds and grown a beard for the role, had been cast.[12] Gosling said "the age of the character versus my real age was always a concern of mine. Peter [Jackson] and I tried to make it work and ultimately it just didn't. I think the film is much better off with Mark Walhberg in that role."[13]

Production

In May 2000, Film4 Productions acquired feature film rights to Alice Sebold's novel The Lovely Bones,[14] when it was a half-written manuscript. Producer Aimee Peyronnet had sought to attract studio interest to the manuscript, and an insider informed Film4's deputy head of production, Jim Wilson, of the project.[15] The company attached Luc Besson and Peyronnet's production company Seaside to the project, two years before the novel's release.[14] By February 2001, Lynne Ramsay was hired to direct and write the film adaptation of the novel.[16] In July 2002, Channel 4 shut down Film4, causing Hollywood studios and producers to pursue acquisition of feature film rights to The Lovely Bones, which had spent multiple weeks at the top of the New York Times Best Seller list. The film adaptation, which had been estimated at a budget of $15 million, remained with Channel 4 under its newly developed inhouse film unit, with Ramsay still contracted to write and direct. By October 2002, Ramsay was writing the script with fellow screenwriter Liana Dognini, with filming planned for summer 2003.[15] Author Alice Sebold was invited by the producers to provide input on the project.[17]

In July 2003, the studio DreamWorks negotiated a first look deal with producer Peyronnet,[18] after DreamWorks founder Steven Spielberg had expressed interest in the project.[19] DreamWorks did not acquire the rights to the novel, and Ramsay was eventually detached from the project. In April 2004, producers Peter Jackson, Fran Walsh, and Philippa Boyens entered negotiations to develop the project.[20] Jackson described the book as "a wonderfully emotional and powerful story. Like all the best fantasy, it has a solid grounding in the real world."[21] By January 2005, Jackson and Walsh planned to independently purchase film rights and to seek studio financing after a script had been developed. The producers sought to begin adapting a spec script for The Lovely Bones in January 2006, with the goal of script completion and budget estimation by the following May.[22] Jackson foresaw the most challenging element in the novel to adapt was the portrayal of Susie, the protagonist, in heaven, and making it "ethereal and emotional but not hokey".[21] Saoirse Ronan explained Jackson chose to depict the afterlife as depending on Susie's emotions. "Whenever Susie feels happy, Heaven is sunny and there's birds and everything. Whenever it’s not so great, it's raining or she’s in the middle of an ocean."[23]

A 120-page draft of the script was written by September 2006.[24] In April 2007, with the script completed by Jackson, Walsh, and Boyens, and Jackson intending to direct, the group of producers began seeking a studio partner to finance the film adaptation. Besides the major studios, smaller companies including United Artists were also contacted. New Line Cinema was excluded from negotiations due to Jackson's legal dispute with the studio over royalties from his Lord of the Rings trilogy.[25] Jackson sought a beginning $65 million budget for The Lovely Bones, also requesting from studios what kind of promotional commitments and suggestions they would make for the film adaptation.[26] By May, four studios remained interested in the project: DreamWorks, Warner Bros., Sony, and Universal.[27] The Lovely Bones was sold to DreamWorks for $70 million.[28] Paramount Pictures received the rights to distribute the film worldwide. Production began in October 2007 in Pennsylvania and New Zealand.[5][29] Shooting in parts of Chester County, including Phoenixville, Royersford, Malvern and East Fallowfield[30] lasted a few weeks, and most of the studio shooting was done in New Zealand.[24]

Release

It was originally scheduled for release on March 13, 2009,[31] but the studio denied this, later confirming the release is actually planned for later in the year.[32] Jackson said it will be released between September and November 2009.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b Anne Thompson (2008-10-09). "Films up in the air after studios split", Variety. Retrieved on 15 October 2008. 
  2. ^ a b Tom Cardy, Kelly Andrew (2008-06-30). "Dambusters filming set for next year", The Dominion Post. Retrieved on 1 July 2008. 
  3. ^ DreamWorks Studios (2007-05-04). "DreamWorks Acquires Peter Jackson's Lovely Bones", ComingSoon.net. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  4. ^ Borys Kit (2007-07-11). "DreamWorks setting "Bones" role for Ronan", The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 13 July 2007. 
  5. ^ a b Michael Fleming; Pamela McClintock (2007-06-12). "Weisz to star in 'Lovely Bones'", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  6. ^ Gregg Goldstein (2007-07-23). "Tucci cracks DW's 'Bones'", The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 23 July 2007. 
  7. ^ Pamela McClintock (2007-07-26). "Sarandon joins 'Lovely Bones'", Variety. Retrieved on 26 July 2007. 
  8. ^ Borys Kit (2007-08-02). "Imperioli connected to "Lovely Bones"", The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 2 August 2007. 
  9. ^ a b "Lindsey and Ruth roles cast for The Lovely Bones"", Black Magic - NZ Film News. 
  10. ^ "Lowestoft's Lovely Bones", bbc.co.uk (2007-11-02). Retrieved on 2 November 2007. 
  11. ^ Shawn Adler (2007-09-24). "Pop Sensation AJ Michalka Cast In Jackson’s ‘Lovely Bones’", MTV Movies Blog. Retrieved on 24 September 2007. 
  12. ^ Michael Fleming, Tatiana Siegel (2007-10-21). "Wahlberg steps into 'Bones'", Variety. Retrieved on 22 October 2007. 
  13. ^ "Gosling Sets Bones Straight", IGN (2007-10-29). Retrieved on 29 October 2007. 
  14. ^ a b "FilmFour makes 'Lovely' buy for Seaside", Variety (2000-05-31). Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  15. ^ a b Adam Dawtrey (2002-10-13). "'Bones' remains at C4", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  16. ^ Jonathan Bing (2001-02-07). "U.K.'s FilmFour pages quirky fare for pix", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  17. ^ Nicole Panter (2002-11-17). "Bestselling author goes incognito in La La Land", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  18. ^ Marc Graser; Jonathan Bing (2003-07-06). "D'Works inks 'Bones' key", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  19. ^ Nicole Laporte (2003-11-02). "Inside Move: Peyronnet digs up lit paydirt", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  20. ^ Michael Fleming (2004-04-22). "Jackson team bones up on 'Lovely'", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  21. ^ a b Brian Sibley (2006). Peter Jackson: A Film-maker's Journey. London: Harper Collins, 555-57. ISBN 0-00-717558-2. 
  22. ^ Michael Fleming (2005-01-17). "Putting his own bucks into 'Bones'", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  23. ^ Silas Lesnick (2008-01-08). "Saoirse Ronan on The Lovely Bones", IESB. Retrieved on 10 January 2008. 
  24. ^ a b Eric Vespe (2006-09-13). "Quint and Peter Jackson, Part II: THE LOVELY BONES!!!", Ain't It Cool News. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  25. ^ Pamela McClintock (2007-04-30). "'Bones' up for bidding", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  26. ^ Michael Fleming; Pamela McClintock (2007-05-02). "High-priced directors pitch projects", Variety. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  27. ^ Borys Kit (2007-05-03). "Project auctions: One hot, one not", The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  28. ^ "Jackson Sells, Mann/DiCaprio Doesn't", Variety (2007-05-29). Retrieved on 13 June 2007. 
  29. ^ Fleming, Michael (2007-06-27). "Ryan Gosling set for 'Lovely Bones'", = Variety. Retrieved on 27 June 2007. 
  30. ^ East Fallowfield Township Police Department (2007-11-02). "Intermittent Road Closures-Movie Production" (pdf) (in English). Press release. Retrieved on 2007-11-12.
  31. ^ "G.I. Joe, The Lovely Bones Release Dates", ComingSoon.net (2007-11-19). Retrieved on 20 November 2007. 
  32. ^ "The Lovely Bones Set for Fall of 2009", ComingSoon.net (2008-05-03). Retrieved on 3 May 2008. 

External links

v • d • e
Peter Jackson
Director
Bad Taste (1987) · Meet the Feebles (1989) · Braindead (1992) · Heavenly Creatures (1994) · The Frighteners (1996)
The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) · The Two Towers (2002) · The Return of the King (2003)
King Kong (2005) · The Lovely Bones (2009)
Other
Forgotten Silver (1995 TV spoof documentary) · Jack Brown Genius (1996) · Tintin (2010) · The Hobbit films (2011/2012) · Halo: Chronicles (video game)
Associates
See also: Wingnut Interactive · Cinema of New Zealand






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