In the category of Things We Forgot Were Happening Because They’ve Been Developing Forever, Tilda Swinton has been attached to a remake of Rosalind Russell‘s 1958, Oscar nominated “Auntie Mame” for years. There’s really not been much news as such, but it looks like at the very least the project has a screenwriter.
This week “Bad Moms” hits the big screen, and star Annie Mumolo, who also wrote the screenplay for “Bridesmaids,” sat down with Vanity Fair and revealed that a collaboration with Swinton is on the horizon.
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“She asked me, ‘Have you read Auntie Mame?’ ” Mumolo said. “I said, ‘No, I haven’t read the book, but I’ve seen the other version of it made into a film version in the ’50s.’ She said, ‘Would you take a look at it? I want to see if you are interested in writing a modern-day adaptation.’ I said yes, because you say yes to Tilda Swinton when she asks if you want to do something.”
“I read the book and it was one of the most fun reads I’ve ever had. It’s totally different from what I had seen in the movie versions,” she added. “We had meetings and then, as I got a little overwhelmed with a few other work things, I brought on a co-writer to work together on this, because it’s a huge job and an adaptation. I brought on a friend of mine, Stan Chervin [the Oscar-nominated ‘Moneyball‘ co-screenwriter].”
The premise —an orphaned boy who goes to live with his freewheeling, eccentric aunt— has lots of possibilities with respect to a contemporary adaptation, and Swinton in the leading role already has us sold.