Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca is a truly wonderful book that became Alfred Hitchcock’s only Best Picture Oscar winning movie (although he lost out as Best Director, and indeed never won that prize himself).
It’s not really surprising therefore that there’d be interest in a remake, with Variety reporting that DreamWorks and Working Title Films are teaming up to develop one, with Eastern Promises scride Steven Knight penning the script.
The books follows a naive young woman who marries a rich widower and settles in his gigantic mansion, only to find that the memory of the first wife maintains a grip on her husband and the servants. It’s a wonderful tale that manages to be a romance, thriller, character piece and psychological drama all at once!
Hitchcock’s 1940 film is renowned for the lesbian undertones of housekeeper Mrs. Danvers obsessive attitude towards her deceased former mistress. It isn’t known if that will be retained in this new version.
It seems it’s early day on the remake though, as no director is currently attached.