Jason Bateman, alongside screenwriter David Lindsay-Abaire and producers Leslie Urdang and Dean Vanich, are collaborating to bring Kevin Wilson’s 2011 novel The Family Fang to the big screen. Along with directing, Bateman plans to star in the film with Nicole Kidman, whose production company, Blossom Films, acquired the rights to novel in 2012.
Kevin Wilson’s official website describes the plot of The Family Fang:
Performance artists Caleb and Camille Fang dedicated themselves to making great art. But when an artist’s work lies in subverting normality, it can be difficult to raise well-adjusted children. Just ask Buster and Annie Fang. For as along as they can remember, they starred (unwillingly) in their parents’ madcap pieces. But now that they are grown up, the chaos of their childhood has made it difficult to cope with life outside the fishbowl of their parents’ strange world.
The novel itself was highly praised, appearing on many publications Top Ten lists for 2011, including New York Times, Time Magazine, and People Magazine.
It’s not currently known what roles Kidman and Bateman will take in the adaptation, though though they could be playing Caleb and Camille, their children, or some combination of the four. As for Bateman, this will be his second time in the director’s chair after his first effort, Bad Words premiered at the Toronto Film Festival this year. This will also be Kidman’s second time appearing in a Lindsay-Abaire film; in 2010 she starred in the writer’s film adaptation of his stage play, Rabbit Hole, which netted them both many award nominations.
According to Deadline, “principal photography will begin next year.”