It was only a matter of time before Hollywood scooped up the rights to Stieg Larsson’s best-selling trio of crime thrillers, including The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, The Girl Who Played with Fire; and the yet-to-be-released The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest. Sony and producer Scott Rudin announced today that they are in final discussions to option the series that has become a worldwide cultural phenomenon. (Anne Thompson first broke the news here.)
The studio and its producer intend to produce all three films and will make them with the Swedish production company Yellow Bird Films. (The Swedish company has already produced and released a film based on the first book, titled in most of Europe Men Who Hate Women, which was a box-office hit to the tune of $100 million. That foreign-language version will be released by Music Box here in the U.S. in March.) The novels center on Mikael Blomkvist, an investigative journalist, and Lisbeth Salander, a bi-sexual, emotionally disturbed computer hacker with a photographic memory, who have come together through unlikely circumstances to investigate various crimes. Larsson, a Swedish journalist and political activist not unlike his protagonist Blomkvist, died before any of his books were published and his estate has been embroiled in its own legal battles between Larsson’s long-term girlfriend and his family members. You can find a detailed account of the family drama in an LA Times article here.
It will be interesting to see who they cast as Salandar, a choice role for many up-and-coming actresses. Both Kristen Stewart and Ellen Page could do great things with the part. Who do you think should play this fascinating character?
I wonder if they’ll leave her bi.
Kristen could really pull this role off. I hope it happens for her.
Gag! Only if you want to ruin the movie. I hope for a complete unknown.
Gah, i loved the books, I wouldn’t be able to watch it if the cast Stewart! Remember, this is not just another teen hit series! No need for Stewart.
It’s not a teen series at all. It’s a very adult series of mysteries, with a lot of violence and psychological depth to them. Personally, I can’t wait to see the Swedish version before Hollywood ruins it. But the books are fantastic.
Would love to see Brie Larson from United States of Tara take on the role. I pictured Lisbeth as someone very much like her (only with cropped, dark hair).
omg totally agree with you
Ellen Page is EXACTLY who I pictured playing the part. She’d be PERFECT. Kristen Stewart is nowhere near capable of the range required to play Salander, especially in the second novel. And I want Phillip Seymour Hoffman as Blomkvist.
The books are amazing. Given the character and the events in the second book, Lisbeth has to stay bi. Frankly, a lot of the social commentary about how government and people understand and treat each other is undercut if she is just “another weird girl.” And no Ellen Page (too innocent cute) or Kristen Stewart (too blank).
I love these books but please for all that is holy don’t mess them up Hollywood! No Kristen Stewart or Ellen Page. Lisbeth Salander is a great character that needs no baggage brought with her and I hope whomever is cast is an unknown. This is a career making role and doesn’t need any Juno/Bella luggage.
It sounds like people haven’t realized that there is already three GREAT Swedish movies made from this?
Does it really have to be in english for it to be good?
Subs work perfectly for me!(im swedish)
If you can’t get them in US you maybe can buy them somewhere else (ebay).
They’re called in Swedish:
Man som hatar kvinnor
(The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo)
Flickan som lekte med elden
(The Girl Who Played with Fire)
Luftslottet som sprangdes
(The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets’ Nest)
The last one premiered in cinemas all over Sweden 27/11-09 and will be realesed on dvd/bluray soon.
THANK YOU! The Hollywood practice of “remaking” perfectly wonderful foreign films for USian audiences just because they’re afraid people can’t read subtitles is *obscene*.
The Swedish movie of the first book is opening here in March. I know some people who have been to advance screenings, and they love the movies. They are huge fans of the books and say that the Swedish movies are so well done and are perfectly cast. Personally, I could do without the Hollywood versions.
NOT ELLEN PAGE. NOT KRISTEN STEWART. someone new. someone edgier. someone sort of like shannyn sossamon, but who is not shannyn sossamon.
Kristen Stewart is perfect for this role(Salander). She could definitely nail this character.
I would like to see a remake of the series. I’ve seen the first two and i am not impressed. It’s a great story, but swedish moviemaker are not really cut out for making these blockbuster productions
no one is going to play this role better than Noomi Rapace. she IS Lisbeth. they’re the same person.
Winon??a Ryder?? Audrey Tatou
Noomi Rapace really did a great job on the swedish version. For the Hollywood version i think that Natalie Portman would be able to keep it up altough someone younger and unknow would also be a good choice.
No someone older!!! Salander is approx 28 at the end of the series.
An unknown is most optimal, cause we’d take her seriously not wince in pain like we do every time new moon is screening.