Diablo Cody’s heading back to high school, signing on to write and produce an adaptation of the “Sweet Valley High” book series for Universal. Mason Novick, Adam Siegel and Marc Platt are also producing.
Universal agreed to a deal with Cody and her manager Novick, outbidding Fox for the project. It’s in talks to acquire the film rights to the book series created by Francine Pascal and published by Random House.
The “Sweet Valley” novels followed the lives of identical twins with dissimilar personalities — the sensitive and practical Elizabeth and the flighty and boy-crazy Jessica — in the fictional town of Sweet Valley. There were more than 150 books in the series between 1983 and 2003 and a TV series with 88 episodes between 1994 and 1997.
Universal put out the word last week that it’s not spending money for the rest of this year to advance development projects — unless they’re being fast-tracked or greenlit.
This deal comes on the heels of a lousy opening for “Jennifer’s Body,” which Cody scripted.
Cody’s also attached to produce “Breathers: A Zombie’s Lament” for Fox Searchlight.
Described as a Heathers-like dark comedy written by Diablo Cody, Jennifer’s Body tells the story of a seemingly-perfect cheerleader (Megan Fox) whose life is thrown into disarray when she gets possessed by a demon, begins eating boys in her small town, then faces off against her best friend and the Satan-worshipping band that made her evil.
Kyle Gallner (The Haunting in Connecticut, Jennifer’s Body, Bart Allen in Smallville) has signed on for the male lead teen in New Line’s relaunch of A Nightmare on Elm Street.
According to Variety, Jackie Earle Haley already is cast as slasher Freddy Krueger in the pic being directed by Samuel Bayer and produced by Platinum Dunes. Michael Bay, Andrew Form and Brad Fuller are producing.
Gallner will play Quentin, an indie-style guy who runs the high school’s podcast, “Insomnia Radio.” He is part of the group of teens that falls prey to Krueger, haunting the dreams of those that lived on the street where he was murdered.
Gallner’s approximate role in the original 1984 film was played by Johnny Depp.
Diablo Cody’s heading back to high school, signing on to write and produce an adaptation of the “Sweet Valley High” book series for Universal. Mason Novick, Adam Siegel and Marc Platt are also producing.
