If I Stay author Gayle Forman will be Executive Producer on the film adaptation of her book, and she speaks about it for the first time to Hypable.
Gayle Forman reveals exclusively to Hypable that she will be an Executive Producer on the film adaptation of her book, which is currently in pre-production.
Speaking to Hypable, Forman said that her formal title “was sort of a natural progression” from her early communication with the production team.
In her role, Forman is “consulted on a host of things, from seeing drafts of the script to casting choices to crew choices.”
When we spoke to Forman earlier this year, she told us that she wouldn’t like to pen the If I Stay script due to the highly personal nature of the story.
However, she assured us that even in her dual role of Executive Producer and author, “the characters and story are in such good hands now that I’m not as protective of that as you might think.”
Forman’s role highlights the importance that studios and production teams are placing on author involvement, especially as numerous Young Adult books are in the pipeline for adaptation.
John Green’s recent visits to The Fault In Our Stars set have helped to assure fans that the adaptation will be true to the book – and Forman’s involvement is sure to do the same for If I Stay.
But don’t hold your breath for a cameo. As Forman told us, “I don’t think I want to. I’m liking my role behind the scenes.”
If I Stay is set to star Chloe Moretz and Jamie Blackley, and will be directed by RJ Cutler. The film was picked up by MGM in June, after originally being optioned by Summit Entertainment.
If I Stay follows Mia (Moretz), who is left in a coma after a catastrophic car accident. The story is told through flashbacks, showing Mia’s relationship with her family and boyfriend Adam (Blackley), as she must decide whether to wake up, or to leave forever.
For more of Forman’s thoughts on the If I Stay movie adaptation, read the full transcript of our interview on page 2.
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