Nikki Finke at Deadline Hollywood is reporting Baz Luhrmann’s follow up to Australia will be The Great Gatsby for 20th Century Fox based on the acclaimed F. Scott Fitzgerald whose loose adaptation of his short story “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” will hit theaters this Christmas directed by David Fincher. Finke reports Luhrmann recently purchased rights to the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic but there is no word as to if he will be adapting it himself although we can assume based on his previous films, that he will.
This is not the first time “The Great Gatsby” has been turned into a film as the 1974 version starring Robert Redford and Mia Farrow release directed by Jack Clayton and adapted by Francis Ford Coppola won two Oscars for costumes and original song score despite not exactly being a favorite to many.
Redford starred as Gatsby, the self-made millionaire who uses his vast (and implicitly ill-gotten) fortune to buy his way into Long Island society. Most of all, Gatsby wants to win back the love of socialite Daisy Buchanan (Mia Farrow), now married to “old money” Tom Buchanan (Bruce Dern). Calmly observing the passing parade is Nick Carraway (Sam Waterston), Gatsby’s best friend, who narrates the film.
The story was also adapted in 1949, 1926 as well as on TV in 2000.
There is obviously no word on who will be starring in the film although Finke offers up names such as Leonardo DiCaprio or James Marsden as Gatsby and Amy Adams as Daisy. I have not read the book or seen any of the previously filmed versions, but for those that have… Any suggestions?
