There have been so many takes on William Shakespeare’s Romeo And Juliet that it would be easy to conclude that there are no new avenues to explore. That's a great disservice to our killer idea, retelling the story among silverback gorillas. More importantly, it would overlook Michael Sucsy’s planned take, Rosaline, which shows events from the point of view of Romeo's ex. Now Lily Collins is in talks to star.
Michael H Weber and Scott Neustader adapted the script from Rebecca Serles’ novel (which, going back to studio tradition, has yet to hit the shelves). It sets the doomed love story in a modern day high school, and filters it through the titular young woman's eyes as she is courted and then spurned by Romeo.
Variety reports that Deborah Ann Woll and Dave Franco are also still going through the negotiation motions to take two other roles, which we’d guess are Romeo and Juliet themselves. We’re also left wondering if the film will push through to the tragic finale...
Sucsy has been trying to get this one set up for a little while now, and Hailee Steinfeld flirted with the Rosaline role. But with surprise box-office hit The Vow under his belt, things should move a little quicker for the director. Collins, who will next be seen in Mirror, Mirror (due out April 2), has recently seen her schedule clear since she’s no longer starring in The Evil Dead and her fantasy pic The Mortal Instruments has been shoved back into limbo. Their loss is Romeo's gain.