‘The Picture of Dorian Gray’: St. Vincent to Direct Her Debut Feature With Gender-Bending Oscar Wilde Adaptation

Annie Clark, also known as St. Vincent, will make her feature directorial debut with Lionsgate‘s adaptation of “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” the only novel ever written by prolific British playwright Oscar Wilde. Variety initially reported the news.

Adding a contemporary twist to the Victorian novel about a narcissistic young man who stays young while his portrait ages, the title character will be a woman. David Birke, who wrote the script for Paul Verhoeven’s “Elle,” will pen the adaptation with Clark directing.

The multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter began her career as a member of the band The Polyphonic Spree and toured with Sufjan Stevens. Her fourth solo album, self-titled St. Vincent, won a Grammy award for Best Alternative Album in 2015. Clark’s previous film, a short titled “XX,” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival this year and starred Melanie Lynskey, Joe Swanberg, and Sheila Vand.

“The Picture of Dorian Gray” has received many screen adaptations over the years, most notable the 1945 version directed by Albert Lewin and starring Hurd Hatfield, George Sanders and a young Angela Lansbury, who received an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting actress.