It’s been 32 years since Elaine May directed a narrative film, after studio pushbacks and less-than-stellar audience reactions resulted in the acclaimed screenwriter, actress and director stepping away from the director’s chair. It seems, however, that the Tony Award-winner is finally ready to direct again at age 87, with the Dakota Johnson-starrer “Crackpot.”
READ MORE: The Essentials: The Directorial Career Of Elaine May
The news comes from The Film Stage and from a little note inside a longer Deadline article. Sadly, we know no other details of the production at this time. The only news we have is that the film will star Dakota Johnson, who was recently seen in “The Peanut Butter Falcon” and “Wounds.”
Despite having only directed four other narrative films – 1971’s “A New Leaf”, 1972’s “The Heartbreak Kid”, 1976’s “Mikey and Nicky”, and 1987’s “Ishtar” – May had already made a career as a comedy genius with her improvisational comedy routines with Mike Nichols, who became the subject of May’s only directorial effort since “Ishtar” when she directed the TV documentary “Mike Nichols: American Masters.” May also became an acclaimed screenwriter, getting two Academy Award nominations, one she shared with Warren Beatty for “Heaven Can Wait,” and another one for “Primary Colors.”
Sadly, though May achieved critical and commercial acclaim through comedy, her screenwriting and also her acting – she won the Tony Award earlier this year – her directing career saw her going head-to-head with Paramount. Her film writing and directing debut “A New Leaf” was cut by nearly 80 minutes for release, then she was fired by Paramount during the making of “Mikey and Nicky” which was a box office bomb. Here’s hoping the project gets off the ground soon and more people get to experience the work of Elaine May.
