Charlie Kaufman Signs On for ‘Chaos Walking’

For most artists - especially in the current economic climate - you need to make some choices that may not be what your heart wants, but keeps your pocketbook afloat (and possibly allows you artistic freedoms at a later date). Which may explain why Academy award winner Charlie Kaufman signed on to adapt 'Chaos Walking' for Lionsgate.

It's also possible that Kaufman has an affinity for the material. But it could also be that after making 'Synecdoche, New York' and his current musical 'Frank or Francis' that he wants or needs to do something that's a little more commercial.

Deadline reports that the source material is a series of young adult novels about a dystopian future where all thoughts are made audible. Actually, that does sound like something up Kaufman's alley. There's also a possible war with an alien race, and a chosen young man at the center.*

This would be for Lionsgate, who made what seemed to be a strange choice in hiring Gary Ross for 'The Hunger Games,' and that ended up working pretty well for them. And this may be the era where all of our most talented filmmaker have to do their time with franchises to keep working.

* Insert 'Donald Kaufman' joke here.