A noteworthy mention in the UK’s Guardian this afternoon of the big screen adaptation of David Mitchell’s challenging tome Cloud Atlas, which is being written and directed by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run), and The Wachowskis, with Halle Berry and Tom Hanks confirmed in starring roles.

First, the film, budgeted at $100 million will be the most expensive German-produced film ever (although Warner Bros has a stake in it as well); second, David Mitchell has read the script, and says that it’s “deeply impressive,” and furthermore, “they [Tykwer & the Wachowskis] aren’t attempting merely to film the book, which is why many adaptations come to grief – the novel’s already there, so why spend all that effort on an audiobook with visuals? Rather, the three directors have assembled Cloud Atlas and reassembled it in a form which – fingers crossed – will be a glorious, epic thing. The reincarnation motif in the book is just a hinted-at linking device, but the script gives it centre stage to link the six worlds with characters, causes and effects. A novel can’t do multi-role acting: a film can. The directors are playing to the strengths of their medium, just like I try to.”

Very encouraging words indeed! I was already looking forward to this, and, thanks to Mitchell’s words, I’m even more curious and can’t wait to see what ends up on screen!

It’s one hell of a novel – challenging, labyrinthine, and upon a first read, many would probably dub it unfilmmable. Glad to hear that this won’t be a literal translation of it, and instead the directors will put their own spin on it.

Halle Berry is in very good company here, and, as I’ve already said a number of times, most recently after posting the trailer for her shark thriller, Dark Tide, she needs a hit badly! This could very well be it, even though she won’t necessarily be the main/sole attraction.

You can read the full Guardian piece HERE.