Jennifer Lawrence’s ‘East Of Eden’ May Be Two Movies

We already knew that dream-team Gary Ross and Jennifer Lawrence will be working together again on a new adaptation of John Steinbeck’s East of Eden. Well, now it looks like the film could be a two-parter.

Writer, producer and director Ross teamed up with Lawrence on 2012’s THE HUNGER GAMES, although he didn’t return to direct her as Katniss in the next installment THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE. Ross’ first screenplay was ’80s smash BIG with Tom Hanks, which he co-wrote with Anne Spielberg, and he’s also brought us PLEASANTVILLE and SEABISCUIT.

EAST OF EDEN will be the second big screen take on Nobel Prize winner Steinbeck’s literary tome. Published in 1952, the story follows two Californian families and their intertwined lives in the early years of the twentieth century. James Dean made the role of Cal his own in the version directed by the legendary Elia Kazan in 1955.

But will two films be the best option? There’s no doubt at around 700 pages long (depending on your edition) there’s enough to keep any screenplay writer going. Ross says that:

“We may break it in half, into one generation and the next. And that’s what we’re talking about now.”

Or is this a case of stretching it too far? I worry it might be (perhaps I’m still just exhausted from THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG).

Source: THR