Madonna to Direct Adaptation of ‘Beautiful’ Book ‘Ade: A Love Story’
Madonna has signed on to direct her third feature film, an adaptation of Rebecca Walker’s novel Adé: A Love Story, according to Deadline. In the book, two college friends travel through Africa when one falls for a Swahili man named Adé on an island off the coast of Kenya. She stay behinds and plans to marry the man, but the couple must overcome serious odds in order to survive: the woman contracts malaria and a civil war erupts around them. When the book came out, Madonna contributed this exclamation-point-filled endorsement: “Read this book! An incredible journey! A beautiful LOVE story!”
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The Material Girl has previously acted in several movies, such as Desperately Seeking Susan and Evita, and has directed two full-length features, Filth and Wisdom in 2008 and W.E. in 2011. The former was a comedy about the different lives of three people living together in London, while the latter was a contemporary look at an affair between King Edward VIII and an American divorcée, as well as a Russian security guard and a woman. She won a Golden Globe for W.E., though not for her directing; her soundtrack contribution “Masterpiece” earned her Best Original Song.
The film version of Adé: A Love Story has yet to find a screenwriter, because, as Deadline reports, CAA is still putting together financing for the movie. American Beauty and Silver Linings Playbook producer Bruce Cohen will shepherd the film through his production house with his director of development and Walker.