One ofGlenn Close’s next roles will be in a film adaptation ofThe Summer Book. According toDeadline, Close has been cast in the upcoming adaptation of the novel. The book tells the story of a young girl and her grandmother. In the story, they spend one summer together on an island in the Gulf of Finland.
The Summer Booknovel was written byTove Jansson. It was first published in 1972. Jansson’s other work includes theMoominbook series, which consists of nine books published from 1945-1970. She also wrote the novelsThe True Deceiver(1982) andFair Play(1989). “The Summer Bookis dear to many readers around the world,” said Jansson’s nieceSophia Jansson. “It is my favorite of Tove Jansson’s books, and it holds a very special place in my heart. Every word of it ushers in vivid childhood memories of my beloved grandmother - her voice, her way of relating to and moving around the island. Seeing that story finally come alive on the big screen will be fantastic and moving on a deeply personal level.”
Close’s previous work includes 2021’sSwan Song(directed by Benjamin Cleary), 2020’sHillbilly Elegy(directed byRon Howard), andFour Good Days(directed byRodrigo García). The film will also starAnders Danielsen Lie. Lie’s previous work includes 2022’sSick of Myself(directed byKristoffer Borgli), 2021’sBergman Island(directed byMia Hansen-Løve), andThe Worst Person in the World(directed byJoachim Trier).
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The film adaptation will be directed byCharlie McDowell. McDowell’s previous work includes 2022’sWindfall, 2017’sThe Discovery, and 2014’sThe One I Love. He will also be a producer for the film through the production company Case Study Films, which he co-founded withAlex OrlovskyandLily Collins. Orlovsky will be a producer and Collins will be an executive producer forThe Summer Book.
“I’m deeply honored to be adapting one of my favorite novels, Tove Jansson’sThe Summer Book, and to film in Finland, the beautiful country in which this story is based,” said McDowell. “It’s long been a dream of mine to work with Glenn Close. I’ve long admired her thoughtfulness, immense versatility, and deeply captivating presence both on the stage and on screen. I first discovered Anders Danielsen Lie from his brilliant collaborations withJoachim Trierand he’s quickly become one of my favorite actors out of Scandinavia. I can’t imagine a more magnificent duo to collaborate with on this film.”
The movie’s screenplay was written byRobert Jones. Stille productions’Kath Mattock, Free Range Films’Kevin Loader, High Frequency Entertainment’sDuncan Montgomery, and Helinski Film’sAleksi Bardywill be producers of the film. High Frequency Entertainment’sJack Selbyand Hurst Capital’sArthur FaracheandVictoria Casteliwill be executive producers.
The Summer Bookis scheduled to begin filming this summer in Finland. Close' most recent film,Swan Song, is currently available to stream on Apple TV+. In the meantime, check out this recent Collider interview with McDowell on his latest film,Windfall, below:
