Brian Percival is set to direct the adaptation of Markus Zusak’s The Book Thief. Percival most recently directed three episodes of the latest season of Downton Abbey.
Brian Percival definitely has the credentials for working on period dramas thanks to Downton Abby and North and South. It will be interesting to see what he can bring the story set in World War II.
Fox 2000 has setDownton Abbey helmer Brian Percival to direct The Book Thief, the Michael Petroni-scripted adaptation of the Marcus Zusak novel that has been on the Children’s Chapter Paparback New York Times bestseller list for 228 weeks. Twilight Saga’s Karen Rosenfelt is producing, and a summer production start is being eyed.
Narrated by Death, the book is set in Nazi Germany. It describes a young girl’s (Liesel Meminger) relationship with her foster parents, Hans and Rosa, and the other residents of their neighborhood as well as a Jewish fist-fighter who hides in her home during the escalation of World War II. Liesel survives by stealing books and sharing them with her neighbors. Published in 2005, it has won numerous awards including Publisher’s Weekly Best Children’s Book of the Year, ALA Best Book for Young Adults, and was a Michael L Printz Honor Book.
What do you think of this latest adaptation? Can a film do justice to The Book Thief?