How’s this for weird coincidences and a case of unlikely precognition? Almost exactly two years ago (give or take a couple of weeks), we talked about original Girl With The Dragon Tattoo director Niels Arden Oplev eyeing an adaptation of Jennifer Egan’s 2006 book The Keep as his English language debut. Given how that the book had already been in development since 2008, we said then, “Hopefully it won't be two years before the next update.” Welcome to now! Oplev is no longer attached, but Master And Commander's Peter Weir appears to be the man for the task.
The Keep, which Weir is adapting himself, finds two estranged American cousins trying to restore their relationship by teaming up to renovate a spooky gothic castle in Central Europe. But the task ends up tearing open an old wound, dredging up a family tragedy from their childhood and bringing the issues associated with it roaring into the present.
Weir, who last brought us The Way Back, is planning to shoot the film next spring, which means we’re hopeful that we won’t have to wait as long between his films this time. Check back in a couple of years to see whether it worked out. And don’t worry about Oplev: he found his English debut with Colin Farrell / Noomi Rapace thriller Dead Man Down, which is shooting now.