Hollywood Reader

Although Cormac McCarthy's modern-day western No Country for Old Men (Knopf, 2005) began production at Paramount last week, his upcoming The Road (Knopf, Sept.) may be a tougher sell. Currently being shopped by ICM's Ron Bernstein, the postapocalyptic novel follows a father and son through an abandoned wasteland as they battle starvation and two murderous strangers for several months. Not the most cinematic, but heady nonetheless. Joel Coen (Fargo; The Big Lebowski) is directing and coadapting the screenplay of No Country with brother Ethan; Tommy Lee Jones, who has a supporting role in next month's A Prairie Home Companion adaptation, plays the lead.

From Father Knows Best to Two and a Half Men, dads have been a staple on the TV networks. Robert Wilder hopes to join the ranks with his collection of humorous essays Daddy Needs a Drink (published last month by Delacorte), just optioned to Brad Johnson at Watson Pond Productions for the small screen. Wilder, a Santa Fe, N.Mex., teacher and father of two, records his real-life adventures with exploding diapers, screaming toddlers and "Baby Whisperers." Michael Feldman (Disney's That's So Raven) is adapting the book for Johnson's company, which has a development deal with 20th Century Fox Television. Created By's Matt Kennedy negotiated the deal on behalf of Wilder's agent, Christopher Schelling at Ralph M. Vicinanza Ltd.

Oscar-winning director of Brokeback Mountain Ang Lee has chosen another literary adaptation for his next project, a far cry from angsty Wyoming cowhands. Lust, Caution, which screenwriter Wang Hui-Ling(Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) is adapting from a story by the late Chinese author Eileen Chang, is an espionage thriller set in WWII-era Shanghai. Production begins in the fall.... Warner Bros. has bought the rights to Jennifer Woodlief's January release Ski to Die (Emmis Books). This story of downhill daredevil and Olympic gold medalist Bill Johnson details his rise to fame after the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympics and subsequent fall into tragedy. Jamie Linden (October's We Are... Marshall) will pen the script.

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