Robert Redford takes A WALK IN THE WOODS

By Matt Holmes / June 25, 2011

Redford's eyed the project since 2005 and according to Coming Soon, the veteran actor's next film will finally be an adaptation of the Bill Bryson travel guide A WALK IN THE WOODS published in 1998. The movie originally setup in August of that year received some tremendous press at the time as it was being setup as a reunion movie for Redford and his BUTCH CASSIDY partner Paul Newman in what would have been their first film together in 3 decades.

Bryson's book is more like a non-fiction diary where the reader follows his journey on the Appalachian Trail while he makes observations about culture, sociology, ecology and interesting and educational rants about plants, animals and wildlife. The journey is a 2,000 miles trek mostly in the wilderness between Springer Mountain in Georgia and Mount Katahdin in Maine and is thought to be completed by less than 30% of the serious trekkers who attempt it. Bryson took on the trail with his friend Stephen Katz, an overweight alcoholic who Redford (who is starring as Bryson) had originally seen as a part for an emotional reunion with Newman, though he always said it was unlikely because Newman was always so health conscious and wouldn't put on the extra pounds needed. At 83 years old, could Newman actually be convinced to come out of retirement for this, and indeed would he actually be in the right shape for it? I guess we will have to wait and see. Barry Levinson is on board to direct the feature. He previously helmed Redford in the 1984 baseball movie THE NATURAL but is better known for directing RAIN MAN.