Harlan Coben, French Film Star

They probably wouldn't have much to talk about over dinner, but New Jersey–based author Harlan Coben and New Yorkers-turned-European music sensation Scissor Sisters do have one thing in common—both found huge success from overseas audiences they didn't get at home. Coben, of course, has been steadily pumping out big bestsellers for years, but his Myron Bolitar series has ricocheted in-and-out of option around Hollywood since the late '90s. So imagine Coben's delight when Ne le Dis à Personne, the French-language hit based on his first stand-alone thriller, Tell No One (Delacorte, 2001), took four Césars (the French Oscars) at last month's ceremonies in Paris. Personne's victories had Angelenos quickly dusting off their college French—Aaron Priest Literary Agency's Lisa Erbach Vance reports that distributor EuropaCorp is currently fielding more than a dozen offers for English remake rights from "A-list producers and studios." Endeavor's Brian Lipson handles Coben's film rights.

Will 300's stunning (and record-breaking) $70-million opening weekend unleash a stampede of sword-and-shield submissions around town? Do you really need to ask? First up: Last of the Amazons (Doubleday), Stephen Pressfield's 2002 epic novel about the clash between the ancient Athenians and the Amazons, now on submission from Jody Hotchkiss. Pressfield's Gates of Fire (Doubleday, 1998) is under option to Universal and George Clooney.

e-mail: HollywoodReader@earthlink.net