Director Greta Gerwig Eyeing ‘Little Women’ With Saoirse Ronan, Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, and Meryl Streep
Zack Sharf
Greta Gerwig is eyeing a major “Lady Bird” reunion with stars Saoirse Ronan and Timothée Chalamet. Variety reports Gerwig is in talks to direct Sony’s upcoming “Little Women” adaptation, which would include not only Ronan and Chalamet in the cast but also Meryl Streep, Emma Stone, and “Lady Macbeth” breakout Florence Pugh. Gerwig boarded the movie as a screenwriter in August 2016, but Variety says Sony has been trying to woo her to direct and she’s now close to committing after bringing the star-studded cast together.
Gerwig’s “Little Women” will be the latest adaptation of the 1869 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. The story centers around the lives of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, as they wrestle with family, relationships, and their own growth from childhood to womanhood.
Sony’s adaptation, which is set up at Columbia Pictures, has been in development for some time. Sarah Polley was first attached to the script. The book was recently adapted this year into a PBS miniseries. The most famous adaptation is Gillian Armstrong’s 1994 movie, which starred Winona Ryder, Susan Sarandon, Claire Danes, and Kirsten Dunst.
“Lady Bird” was a massive success for Gerwig and Ronan, both of whom earned Oscar nominations earlier this year. Gerwig became the fifth woman nominated for the best director Oscar. Chalamet appeared in a supporting role. According to Variety, Ronan would play Jo, Stone would portray Meg, and Pugh would play Amy. The search is still on for an actress to play Beth. Streep is going to play the sisters’ mother, Marmee, while Chalamet is being eyed to play boy-next-door, Laurie Laurence.
As the “Little Women” project comes together, many of the cast is gearing up for a busy fall movie season. Chalamet is expected to return to the Oscar race with his leading role in “Beautiful Boy,” while Stone is front and center in Yorgos Lanthimos’ “The Favourite.” Ronan is playing the title character in “Mary Queen of Scots,” in which she stars opposite Margot Robbie. Streep, meanwhile, is finishing up production on “Big Little Lies” season two and has a supporting role in the Christmas tentpole “Mary Poppins Returns.”
“Little Women” would be Gerwig’s first directorial effort since “Lady Bird.” The writer-director had a voice role in Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs” earlier this year.
