Cate Blanchett In Talks For Richard Linklater’s ‘Where’d You Go, Bernadette?’
Richard Linklater’s plans to direct Jennifer Lawrence inThe Rosie Projectdidn’t pan out, so he’s turning his attention to another literary adaptation that’s been on his to-do list for a while. Linklater is moving forward onWhere’d You Go, Bernadette?, withCate Blanchettnow in talks to play the title character. More on the possible Richard Linklater Cate Blanchett project after the jump.TheWrapreports Blanchett is in “advanced negotiations” to star in Linklater’s movie. Based on the bestselling 2012 novel byMaria Semple,Where’d You Go, Bernadette?centers on an agoraphobic architect who vanishes right before a planned trip to Antarctica with her family. Her teenage daughter Bee, who narrates the book, sets out to find her mother, digging through emails, letters, FBI documents, and more. Bernadette is elegant and brilliant but a little unhinged, and Blanchett seems like perfect casting for the role.Where’d You Go, Bernadette?puts Linklater back with screenwritersScott NeustadterandMichael H. Weber, who also wroteThe Rosie Project. The duo’s other credits includePaper Towns,The Fault in Our Stars,The Spectacular Now, and the upcomingMe Before You, all deeply compassionate relationship dramas based on popular novels. They’re also known for writing(500) Days of Summer. Semple’s novel, which combines acerbic wit with heart and humor, should be right in their wheelhouse.
Blanchett, a two-time Oscar winner forThe AviatorandBlue Jasmine, is having a banner year. Her performances in this fall’sCarolandTruthare drawing raves, and earlier this year she had a huge commercial hit with Disney’sCinderella. Her upcoming roles include two Terrence Malick movies and a Lucille Ball biopic scripted by Aaron Sorkin.
Where’d You Go, Bernadette?is set up atMegan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures, which is also producing Linklater’s next release,Everybody Wants Some.Nina JacobsonandBrad Simpsonare also producing. There’s no word yet on whenWhere’d You Go, Bernadette?will shoot, but with Blanchett almost locked in and Linklater looking for his next project, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this one move sooner rather than later.
