Catherine Hardwicke has signed on to direct If I Stay, the adaptation of the upcoming novel of the same name by Gayle Forman. Yes, it involves teenagers, who are to Hardwicke what explosions are to Michael Bay: the sine qua non of her oeuvre.
The story - apparently a "fantasy drama" - follows a 17 year-old girl who is a gifted classical musician with a indie rocker boyfriend. When she and her family are in a car accident one cold February morning, she must choose between life and death, in a story that we are assured is gripping and heartrending.
It sounds like a plot that's right up Hardwicke's street, but what's surprising about this news is that the film's being made by the same production company, Summit, who made Hardwicke's Twilight, and who crucially chose not to bring her back for its sequel** New Moon**. Judging by this decision, there are no hard feelings, and in fact Summit president of production Eric Feig said, "When we were thinking of the perfect director to capture the emotion, grace and passion of this beautiful book, one filmmaker became the clear and only choice: Catherine Hardwicke." So it's all hearts and flowers over there, and it's best of luck to Hardwicke, who deserves a break after delivering a big hit with Twilight.