Variety says Steven Zaillian has signed on to adapt Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel A Thousand Splendid Suns and is attached to direct the Columbia Pictures drama.
The book, Hosseini’s follow-up to “The Kite Runner,” was published in May by Riverhead and debuted at No. 1 on the New York Times bestseller list, where it remained for three months. The story revolves around two Muslim women, married to the same man, who foster a friendship that lasts more than 10 years against the backdrop of war in Afghanistan.
Scott Rudin is producing. He bought the book in January preemptively for high six against seven figures and set it up at Col, which plans to make the film for about $15 million.
Zaillian’s writing credits include Gangs of New York, Schindler’s List and the upcoming American Gangster.
