Cary Fukunaga to direct new Jane Eyre (and Ellen Page out of the project)

This is all over the news, though it seems it was Variety which first reported it.

"Sin nombre" helmer Cary Fukunaga is in advanced negotiations to direct a feature adaptation of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre" for Brit shingle Ruby Films.
Moira Buffini has written the script. Buffini is fast becoming one of the U.K.'s hottest scribes thanks to her adaptation of Posy Simmonds' graphic novel "Tamara Drewe" for director Stephen Frears and her own upcoming vampire project "Byzantium," based on her stage play, "A Vampire Story."
Ruby Films' co-toppers Alison Owen and Paul Trijbits are producing "Jane Eyre" with BBC Films.
Pic will play up the gothic elements of the classic 19th century story about a governess who falls in love with her surly employer who has a dark secret.
The book is one of the most iconic in English literature and has been the subject of numerous previous adaptations. The BBC turned the book into a miniseries that won three Emmys in 2007, while the most recent feature, made in 1996, was directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starred Charlotte Gainsbourg.
Ellen Page was previously attached to star as the eponymous heroine but left the project some time ago. Owen and Trijbits will now ramp up casting with Fukunaga on board.
The helmer has been much in demand following his best director prize at this year's Sundance for feature debut "Sin nombre," a gritty gang drama set in Latin America. Fukunaga also has a writing-directing pact at Focus Features Intl. as well as a separate writing deal at parent company Universal Pictures.
Owen and Trijbits aim to begin lensing "Jane Eyre" next year. (Ali Jaafar)

And so ends the Ellen Page-Jane Eyre story. We will see if Cary Fukunaga sees the project through to its (hopefully happy) ending.

Slash Film adds:

I haven’t had a chance to read Buffini’s take on the story, but the trade says that it highlights “the gothic elements of the classic 19th century story about a governess who falls in love with her surly employer who has a dark secret.” Superficially, that might pit this take squarely against the ‘44 version scripted by by John Houseman and Aldous Huxley and starring Joan Fontaine, Margaret O’Brien and Orson Welles (who reportedly ghost-directed much of the film).
But the social commentary that is crucial to the novel is something I can see Fukunaga nailing, and he’s also got the affinity for questions about class and ability to quickly sketch strong characters. Sin Nombre was a story heavy with atmosphere and a certain feeling that leapt between the characters without being voiced. That suggests that the heavy gothic atmosphere (not to be confused with a heavy goth atmosphere — don’t get this wrong) isn’t something that will daunt the director. (Russ Fischer)

EDIT 22/10/2009: Latino Review adds the following 'request':

Rumor is this adaptation of Jane Eyre will focus more on the Gothic themes of the novel, though if they make Bertha an actual vampire, I will moan myself right out of the theater. (Dave Gonzales)

(Picture source)

Categories: In the News, Jane Eyre, Movies-DVD-TV