Dallas Buyers ClubandBig Little LiesfilmmakerJean-Marc Valléehas settled on his next film, and it’s a big one. Deadline reports that Universal Pictures is in talks to option the rights to a film about “the epic love story” betweenJohn LennonandYoko Ono, with Vallée directing from a script by Oscar-nominatedThe Theory of EverythingscreenwriterAnthony McCarten. As is usual for Vallée, the filmmaker will also edit the film.
This is a project that has been years in the making, as producersMichael De Luca(The Social Network) andJosh Bratmanworked hard to win over Ono with their take on hers and Lennon’s enduring love story. After McCarten wrote the script, Vallée came aboard and met with Ono, and now the hope is to have production underway late next year after Vallée and McCarten do a final pass on the script. Deals have yet to be made, but the plan is for the music composed and performed by Lennon to serve as the soundtrack for the film.
Vallée made waves with the filmsDallas Buyers ClubandWild, then spearheaded the entire first season of the smash hit HBO seriesBig Little Lies. He followed that up with yet another critically acclaimed HBO limited series, theAmy Adams-frontedSharp Objects, but admitted after he completed that project that he was eager to jump back into films. Vallée’s name surfaced when producers were looking for aBond 25replacement afterDanny Boyledeparted that blockbuster, but Vallée apparently took his name out of the running when this Lennon/Ono project finally looked like it was going to happen.
Music has been a significant part of all of Vallée’s projects, and this isn’t even the first biopic of sorts that he’s worked on. He was set to directaJanis Joplinbiopicwith Amy Adams in the lead role a couple years ago, but the project fell apart.
McCarten, meanwhile, is on a bit of a roll having written not onlyTheory of Everythingbut also last year’sWinston ChurchillfilmDarkest Hourand the upcomingQueenbiopicBohemian Rhapsody.
Now, of course, the focus will be on who Vallée enlists to play Lennon and Ono. I have a feelingEzra Millercould knock the Lennon role out of the park, but I’m curious to hear other suggestions. Sound off in the comments below.
