After the succes of Following Christopher Nolan began working on a script adaptation of a book by English novelist Ruth Rendell, called "The Keys To The Street" for Fox Searchlight. He was supposed to direct it as well but it seems like that won't happen:
"I think the script is very good. I don’t think it’s what I want to do next. I think another director will do that. It’s a really cool script, but has a lot in common with the three films I’ve made, so it may not be the right film for me to do next."
It is not clear if this movie will ever be made and, if it will if that will be a TV production or one for the big screen. Up to now most of the Ruth Rendell adaptions have been TV production. But it may be that Nolan's name on the script could drag interest and money to the yet to be made film.
Being the huge Nolan fan that I am, I actually tracked down a used copy and read it. Pretty good stuff actually. I can see why the book would have attracted his interest in the first place, but it is definitely material that he has covered before. It would be interesting to see what direction he took the screenplay in. Sounds like it is much darker. I'm surprised it was never leaked since it has been bouncing around at Fox Searchlight for years.
Yeah I'm suprised that Fox havn't pushed to be made (As it has his name attached to it) he also said it was a good script, but it was too similar to Following, Memento and Insomnia.
It's very surprising that Fox Searchlight hasn't been trying to make an effort to get this made. I think it may be a clue that Nolan (or possibly another director) does want to make it in the future and that's probably why the screenplay hasn't been released.
Man... the screenplay is pretty dreadful. He completely removed the interesting subplots that the novel had and replaced it with a very flimsy focus on a love triangle. It's unfortunate. There are some glimmers of a good script in there... but I think it ultimately fails. Have to cut the guy some slack though, it was written after Following (a decade ago now) and he probably didn't have much in the bank, it was probably just a quick job for him.
filmfanatic wrote:Man... the screenplay is pretty dreadful. He completely removed the interesting subplots that the novel had and replaced it with a very flimsy focus on a love triangle. It's unfortunate. There are some glimmers of a good script in there... but I think it ultimately fails. Have to cut the guy some slack though, it was written after Following (a decade ago now) and he probably didn't have much in the bank, it was probably just a quick job for him.
Well there where revisions in that draft by Michael Stokes, that was the best copy I could find (was submitted by a user on this forum to me mind).
So I think it's unfair tbh to put the blame totally on Nolan and I think it was a studio film, as he was just starting in the business and the studio may have demanded certain changes to the script as well.
