Angelina Jolie to star in adaptation of Ron Rash novel ‘Serena’?

Jason Sandford

Jason Sandford is a reporter, writer, blogger and photographer interested in all things Asheville.

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Twitter is abuzz with such news, which actually broke back in February/March. There’s already a screenplay, apparently. Don’t know how I missed it:

From Cinematical.com:

I already praised Angelina Jolie far, far too much last week but now comes word of yet another
project that’s so terrifyingly cool that I want to write “Why I’ll Always Like Angelina Jolie Part II” just to salute her. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jolie and Darren Aronofsky are in discussions to bring Ron Rash’s novel Serena to the big screen. Chris Kyle penned the screenplay, and Nick Wechsler is set to produce.

Serena is a ruthless, violent novel set in 1929. Serena and George Pemberton travel from Boston to North Carolina to establish a timber empire. It’s new territory for Serena, but familiar ground for George, who has one illegitimate child to his name. But his wife soon proves herself to be the equal of any of the mountain men as she kills rattlesnakes and rivals in the wilderness. Unable to have a son of her own, Serena decides there’s nothing left to do but murder George’s child. The Pembertons end up pitted against each other as George seeks to protect his son and his ex-lover. Something tells me it won’t end well.

Ron Rash tops the list of my current favorite WNC authors, and I really loved Serena. Angelina would be a great Serena. I wonder if there’s any chance the movie would be filmed in our mountains.