She's currently waiting to see whether her latest film – Disney's live-action version of Mulan – will actually make it to cinemas this year, but director Niki Caro isn't just sitting around. She's sealed a deal to make romantic drama Beautiful Ruins for Amblin.
Mark Hammer and Chiara Atik will be adapting Jess Walter's bestseller, following an earlier draft by A Beautiful Day In The Neighbourhood's Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.
The story is set in an Italian seaside village in 1962, where a charming young man runs a hotel with no guests, until one day an American starlet, fresh from the set of Cleopatra, appears and captures his heart. Five decades later in Hollywood, a jaded assistant to a once-powerhouse producer gets caught up in the magic of the Italian’s story, and takes it upon herself to find a happy ending.
Sam Mendes is on board to produce via his Neal Street company, but there's no word on when the movie will kick off shooting yet. Mulan, meanwhile, is currently scheduled to launch on 21 August, though it could still be pushed back once again if the current pandemic keeps affecting cinemas.