Back in 2009, we reported on the fact that Bryce Dallas Howard appeared to be taking the next step to following her father into filmmaking by adding the credit of screenwriter to her already healthy acting resume. At the time, the thinking was that dad – better known as Ron Howard – could see the film, called The Originals, as his next directing job. Well, it appears he decided to direct The Dilemma instead and is now knee-deep in developing The Dark Tower, among other projects, so Bryce has found someone willing to step up. And she found that person by looking in the mirror.
Yup, the fiendishly talented Howard Jr is apparently going to sit in the director’s chair to bring the script, co-written with Dane Charbeneau, to the screen.
The Originals follows a group of twentysomethings who reunite for a weekend in New York after hearing that one of their old teachers has mysteriously fallen into a coma. Angst and life panic ahoy, and now Howard has described the concept to Showbiz 411 as, “like a Breakfast Club for my generation.” Even for someone with her background, that’s a fairly hefty claim to make, and not one to be tossed out lightly.
There are no other details right now, other than one piece of casting Howard has already pondered: “So far, I wrote a part for Zoe Saldana. But there are so many good choices out there.” Doubt she’ll have much trouble lining people up. Imagine and Universal are behind the film, which doesn’t yet have a shooting schedule. Howard herself, meanwhile, will next be seen on screen in The Help.