Never one to rest on his laurels, acclaimed director and producer Jason Reitman has added The Possibilities to his large slate of projects, snapping up the new novel before it has even been published.
The Possibilities is the second novel from Kaui Hart Hemmings – whose 2007 debut The Descendants was adapted into an Academy Award winning screenplay by Alexander Payne, Nat Faxon and Jim Rash for Payne’s 2011 movie of the same name. Indian Paintbrush Productions, along with Reitman’s Right Of Way production company, have optioned Hemmings’ follow-up and attached Reitman to direct – though it will not arrive in bookstores until May 2014.
Set in a Colorado ski-resort, the story centres on a small-town talk show host who is grieving for her adult son, recently lost in an avalanche. In her loss, she is supported by her son’s estranged father, her own, live-in father, and her best friend – although this quirky group are thrown into disarray when a young woman arrives, raising questions about whether anyone really knew the young man at all. As with The Descendants, this new novel is billed as dark comedy, with sharp observations bringing the dry, relatable humor. Exploring themes of grief, parenthood and the complexities of relationships, The Possibilities employs more of Hemmings’ well-drawn characters to bring the story to life.
This female-centred story is firmly in Reitman’s wheelhouse, as the director has previously delivered Juno, Young Adult and Labor Day. Being so early in the process, however, it is not known how long it will be until The Possibilities is unveiled onscreen. Reitman – whose film career began in 1988 with a brief appearance in Twins, directed by his father, Ivan – is currently occupied shooting Men, Women And Children, with a cast that includes Judy Greer, Emma Thompson, Adam Sandler and Jennifer Garner. He also has a couple of other projects lined up so it might be a while before we see him get to this one.
As usual, we’ll keep you posted when we hear more.
