If you’re a film fan outside of Europe, there’s a large chance you’re not familiar with the films of Joachim Trier. The Norwegian director has four films under his belt since 2006, and in that time has turned into one of the best directors working today. In fact, three of his four films (with the only exception being the English-language “Louder Than Bombs”) were selected by Norway as their official Best Foreign Language Film picks for the Oscars. That includes his most recent film, 2017’s “Thelma,” which we called one of the best films last year. Upon release, “Thelma” was a hit with critics and caught the eye of studio FilmNation, who is now looking to make an English-language remake.
Unlike Sebastián Lelio, who directed both the original and English-language remake of his incredible “Gloria,” Trier is not the man that will translate his arthouse, supernatural thriller for English-speaking audiences. According to Deadline, FilmNation has hired Craig Gillespie to helm the new “Thelma.” Gillespie has a bit of a rollercoaster filmography, with highs being “Lars and the Real Girl” and the Oscar-nominated “I, Tonya,” and the lows probably including the remake of “Fright Night” and “Mr. Woodcock.”
That being said, Gillespie has proven himself to be an incredibly versatile, talented director. So it’ll be interesting to see what he brings to the story of “Thelma.” For those that haven’t seen the 2017 film (and if you haven’t, then you definitely should), “Thelma” tells the story of the titular girl who discovers a unique, supernatural power that seems to come from when she feels desire for one of her female classmates. Think “Carrie” mixed with a bit of “X-Men,” by way of Ingmar Bergman.
READ MORE: Joachim Trier Talks Making ‘Thelma’ & Rooting For Terrence Malick [Interview]
Joining Gillespie on the project is writer Christy Hall. No word on casting or a release date at this time, but you better believe we’ll be covering the news when it breaks. Hopefully, Gillespie is able to bring something new to Trier’s already-great story.
For those unfamiliar with the 2017 original, here’s the trailer (you’ll thank us later):