Todd Haynes To Direct Adaptation Of 'Hugo' Author's 'Wonderstruck'

It has been a pretty good weekend for Todd Haynes. His latest film, "Carol," premiered at Cannes to rave reviews (including ours) and he’s already starting to get new projects brewing, with news arriving that he’s working on a limited series based on "The Source Family" documentary. And now the director is gearing up to step into an arena he’s never done before — the children’s movie.

Screen Daily reports that Haynes will write and direct an adaptation of "Hugo" author Brian Selznick‘s award-winning "Wonderstruck." The book itself is ambitious stuff, telling a story split in two different time periods, one described in words, the other completely in pictures. Here’s the book synopsis:

From Brian Selznick, the creator of the Caldecott Medal winner THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, comes another breathtaking tour de force.

Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, The Invention of Hugo Cabret, Brian Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey.

Ben and Rose secretly wish their lives were different. Ben longs for the father he has never known. Rose dreams of a mysterious actress whose life she chronicles in a scrapbook. When Ben discovers a puzzling clue in his mother’s room and Rose reads an enticing headline in the newspaper, both children set out alone on desperate quests to find what they are missing.

Set fifty years apart, these two independent stories–Ben’s told in words, Rose’s in pictures–weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. How they unfold and ultimately intertwine will surprise you, challenge you, and leave you breathless with wonder. Rich, complex, affecting, and beautiful–with over 460 pages of original artwork–Wonderstruck is a stunning achievement from a uniquely gifted artist and visionary.

Apparently, the script is already finished, but it’s not certain when Haynes might get to tackle it. In case you forgot, he’s also attached to helm a Peggy Lee biopic that has Reese Witherspoon slated to star. Meanwhile, the filmmaker’s Source Family show could actually get bigger. “It has an elasticity to it so it could expand or contract accordingly but has more of a series rather than a mini-series concept to it,” he told the trade.

At any rate, Haynes will have lots of options ahead of him, and lots of people courting him, given the reception to "Carol." Wherever he goes next, we’ll eagerly follow. Below, check out Brian Selznick’s introduction to his book.