There's a chance – a small chance – that you've never heard of Nancy Drew. Frankly, we'd be surprised, but we'll admit the possibility that the girl detective has never crossed your path. However, your chances of avoiding the teen sleuth, star of hundreds of books and games, are about to get even slimmer as Nancy heads for the big screen in Nancy Drew: The Mystery In Hollywood Hills.
The character of Nancy was created in the 1930s by Edward Stratemeyer, but are all published under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene, no matter who wrote them. While the character's gone through many incarnations with the changing times, she's generally about 16, blonde or red-headed and very bright. Her father, Carson Drew, is a lawyer; her mother died when she was very young, and her cousins George (a girl) and Bess sometimes assist her in her investigations.
This new film sees Nancy travel to LA with her father, only to stumble upon evidence about the long-unsolved death of a movie star. However, will Nancy's practical nature and resourcefulness be enough against the self-indulgence of Tinseltown?
We're saying that it will, but no doubt time will tell.
The film is coming from Warner Brothers, who previously made four Drew films in the 1930s. Andrew Fleming (The Craft, Dick and The In-Laws) is set to direct and is working on a rewrite of Tiffany Paulsen's script, and Emma Roberts – daughter of Eric, niece of Julia and star of Nickelodeon series "Unfabulous" – is set to star as the sleuth herself.
So what do we think? Well, Fleming proved he can direct films for teenage girls with The Craft and Dick - but we hope that he can bring a touch of the wit and black humour of his TV work on Grosse Pointe and Arrested Development to make the film bearable for everyone else.
There isn't a start date for the film yet, which won't start shooting until next year at the earliest. Since Roberts doesn't even turn 15 until February, however, there's no real rush – she'd still be good for a sequel or two before adulthood beckons.