Charlie Kaufmanis making the jump to Netflix. The wildly talented writer of films likeBeing John Malkovich,Adaptation., andEternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mindand directorSyncedoche, New Yorkand the unforgettable stop-motion animatedAnomalisaappears to have found his next project, and it’s a Netflix original.
Varietyreports that Kaufman will write and direct a film adaptation of theIain ReidnovelI’m Thinking of Ending Thingsfor Netflix, which revolves around a couple who go on a road trip but make an unexpected detour. Described as unnerving and suspenseful, the source material sounds perfect for Kaufman’s sensibility, and one imagines at Netflix a filmmaker of his stature will have plenty of creative freedom.
Kaufman previously flirted with blockbuster fare by writing a draft ofChaos Walking, the YA adaptation that now starsTom HollandandDaisy Ridleyand was directed byDoug Liman. Kaufman has been candid about his frustration with financing in the past, but this deal shows how streaming services like Netflix can bring somewhat less commercial efforts like this to fruition.
Indeed, Netflix has been making big swings as of late, scoring the next feature film from directorMartin Scorsese,The Irishman. Kaufman’s only directed two movies, but both of them were great and wholly original, so I can’t wait to see what be brings to the table withI’m Thinking of Ending Things.
Here’s the description forI’m Thinking of Ending Things:
I’m thinking of ending things. Once this thought arrives, it stays. It sticks. It lingers. It’s always there. Always.
Jake once said, “Sometimes a thought is closer to truth, to reality, than an action. You can say anything, you can do anything, but you can’t fake a thought.”
And here’s what I’m thinking: I don’t want to be here.
In this “dark and compelling…unputdownable” (Booklist, starred review) literary thriller, debut novelist Iain Reid explores the depths of the human psyche, questioning consciousness, free will, the value of relationships, fear, and the limitations of solitude. Reminiscent of Jose Saramago’s early work, Michel Faber’s cult classicUnder the Skin, and Lionel Shriver’sWe Need to Talk about Kevin,I’m Thinking of Ending Thingsis an edgy, haunting debut. Tense, gripping, and atmospheric, this novel “packs a big psychological punch with a twisty story line and an ending that will leave readers breathless” (Library Journal, starred review).
