We actually mentioned in passing
Ron Howard's interest in helming Claire Messud's 2006 novel
The Emperor's Children way
back in January. Now the confirmation has come through from
Variety that he has committed himself to the project for Universal and it's one of five films currently on his directing schedule.
The book is a comedy of manners set in New York in the months before and following Sept. 11, 2001. Three Brown University-educated students, raised in upper-crust surroundings and expected to do something important, hit 30 while still struggling to fulfill that promise.
The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou co-writer
Noah Baumbach has adapted the novel into a feature script. Doesn't grab you as interesting as the movies currently on his schedule does it? Those include
Frost/Nixon (his next film shooting next month),
Angels and Demons (expected to begin early 08),
Cache (remake of French thriller) and
Colossus: The Forbin Project (remake of 70's sci-fi thriller). I think I would rather see every project above come to fruition before The Emperor's Children. The novel has received mostly mixed reviews from critics and audiences with much criticism concerning the way 9/11 has been used in the book.