Luca Guadagnino To Direct 'Burial Rites' Starring Jennifer Lawrence

One point in her career, Jennifer Lawerence was plotting a string of features with “The Hunger Games” director Gary Ross. The duo had planned to tackle two adaptations,  John Steinbeck‘s “East Of Eden” and Hannah Kent‘s bestselling “Burial Rites.” Neither project really got off the ground, and both them have gone on to other things. Lawrence has grown as a global star, with Ross has been working more modestly, though he has the big “Ocean’s Eight” arriving next summer. However, one of those book projects has found new life.

Floating on all the praise for “Call Me By Your Name,” director Luca Guadagnino has signed up to helm “Burial Rites.” No word yet on who is penning the picture, but Ross is sticking around in a producing role. Sounding a lot like “Call Me By Your Alias, Grace” (shoutout to Jessica Kiang for that), the true crime story follows a young woman who awaits her death after being convicted of murdering two men. Here’s the synopsis:

Set against Iceland’s stark landscape, Hannah Kent brings to vivid life the story of Agnes, who, charged with the brutal murder of her former master, is sent to an isolated farm to await execution. 

Horrified at the prospect of housing a convicted murderer, the family at first avoids Agnes. Only Tóti, a priest Agnes has mysteriously chosen to be her spiritual guardian, seeks to understand her. But as Agnes’s death looms, the farmer’s wife and their daughters learn there is another side to the sensational story they’ve heard. 

No word yet on when production might roll, but next on Guadagnino’s docket is “Suspiria” which is due in cinemas next year. There’s also those “Call Me By Your Name” sequels he keeps talking about, but those sound a long way off. [Variety]