Saturday 20 October 2012

CONFIRMED: Neil Burger will Direct the Divergent Movie

Veronica Roth has confirmed Neil Burger will be the 'Divergent' Director!
"So. I wasn't able to discuss this before because it wasn't official, but the Divergent movie adaptation has a director: Neil Burger!

Neil Burger directed The Illusionist and Limitless, both movies that I enjoyed immensely, both visually dynamic and interesting. Soon after the deal was closed I got the opportunity to speak with him on the phone. I was nervous beforehand-- handing over your work for someone else to interpret is always nerve-wracking, and I wasn't sure what to expect.

But by the time I hung up-- an hour and a half later!-- I felt very reassured. Neil knew the books remarkably well, and asked some amazing questions about the world and the story, and generally demonstrated tremendous respect for the books and for my answers.  I actually found myself wishing he had been around while I was writing, to help me think through the particularities of the world of Divergent! I'm sure I would have been more efficient if he had. Like I have before, I'm feeling like my work is in good good hands.

Because I feel so reassured by my experience with Neil and his work, I've felt pretty calm about any and all casting news I've received, knowing that all the people who are working on this movie have a strong vision for it that is grounded in the books."
This is great news! The movie production will move along much faster now a director is on board.




Variety had previously posted about Burger being in talks for the role:

With Summit Entertainment’s lucrative “Twilight” series coming to a close this fall, the studio is ramping up the futuristic “Divergent” — the beginning of what it hopes will be its next teen franchise — as “Limitless” helmer Neil Burger is in early talks to direct for the studio. Summit had no comment.

Sources tell Variety that Burger has edged out several high-profile filmmakers for the job. Summit is planning to start production in March with the aim of releasing the pic in the first quarter of 2014. The first of a planned trilogy by 24-year-old author Veronica Roth, “Divergent” was acquired by Summit in March 2011, two months before the young adult novel was published by Katherine Tegen Books, a division of HarperCollins Children’s Books. It quickly made the New York Times’ bestseller list and has sold 1.3 million copies.

Summit also has rights to sequel “Insurgent,” released in May. The untitled third book in the trilogy is due out in fall 2013.

Burger has been in demand coming off the surprise success of Relativity Media’s modestly budgeted sleeper “Limitless,” which grossed $161 million worldwide. Prior to that, he directed “The Illusionist,” a low-budget period pic that grossed $87 million worldwide.
CAA-repped helmer, who is no longer attached to direct Sony’s “Uncharted,” recently signed on to direct a feature adaptation of Dennis Lehane’s short story “Animal Rescue” for Fox Searchlight and Chernin Entertainment. Should a deal make, “Divergent” is likely to serve as Burger’s follow-up to “Limitless.”

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