Seems like Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen," "Lords of Dogtown") is trying to hone in on a grittier return behind the camera. After "Twilight" and "Red Riding Hood," the helmer was linked to an adaptation of the potentially franchise-spawning "The Maze Runner," but soon focused her attentions on troubled-teen tale "The Bitch Posse" and a biopic of Swedish boxer Bo "Bosse" Högberg starring former partners Noomi and Bo Rapace.
Having described that boxing film, "Knockout," as a story that "goes back to more of my 'Thirteen' days," it looks like Hardwicke has been trying to hark back to her earlier sensibilities — a notion which is now affirmed by the fact she's circling an erotic thriller set in the L.A. music industry titled "Plush" that has also Evan Rachel Wood attached to star. The project was co-scripted by Hardwicke and Artie Nelson and would potentially reunite Wood with the helmer who earned her a Golden Globe Best Actress nomination at the age of 13.
No word yet on where this project lies on Hardwicke's calendar, but in an interview at Sundance, she explained that she'll be "doing another cool movie with Evan next, a really wild erotic thriller about a character really pushing the edge, pushing the envelope." It's a generic synopsis, but does "next" mean "Knockout" with the Rapaces (which was originally set to shoot last fall) has been pushed?
Either way, "Plush" looks like a return to a tale of Californian youths for Hardwicke, which is certainly promising. The film will be introduced to buyers at the European Film Market this month in Berlin.
