There's already been a movie version of John Steinbeck's classic novel East of Eden, and it was directed by no less than Elia Kazan, but that isn't stopping Hollywood from giving it another go. Ron Howard had originally been tapped to film another version of the story, an update on the Cain and Abel rivalry in the Bible, but now Tom Hooper will be taking over.
Hooper was recently nominated for an Emmy for directing the miniseries John Adams, and won the award in 2005 for the miniseries Elizabeth I. Variety reports he'll be joined on the project by screenwriter Christopher Hampton, who recently wrote Atonement, and won an Oscar for Dangerous Liaisons in 1989.
OK, fine, they're definitely assembling some talented folks for this one, which should make at least some Steinbeck fans feel relieved. But when you're up against an original film that starred James Dean in his first Oscar-nominated role, can you ever really feel confident in what you're doing? Hooper told Variety one of the advantages this film will have over the one made in 1955, at the height of the Production Code: "There is an opportunity to show the sex, violence and darkness of Steinbeck's work, along with the optimism and celebration of love." So whoever has the unlucky fate of reprising James Dean's role will be able to have sex on screen-- but if he's looking for any other way to top him, he's probably doomed. Good luck, everyone.
