Catherine Hardwicke has found her next gig. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the “Twilight” director will helm Sony’s remake of “Miss Bala,” a 2011 Mexican drama from Gerardo Naranjo.
The original film sees protagonist Laura (Stephanie Sigman) enter the Miss Baja beauty pageant. “During rehearsals, she witnesses a gang killing DEA agents and nightclub-goers and is then kidnapped by the gang and forced to work for them in the deadly drug war,” THR summarizes. “Miss Bala” premiered at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard competition and was Mexico’s submission for Best Foreign Language Film at the Oscars.
The remake will center on Gloria Meyer, “who finds herself a pawn, after her friend Suzu goes missing in Tijuana, in a dangerous game being played by the CIA, the DEA and a charismatic young crime boss,” the source details. Deadline reports that “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez is one of the actresses being pursued to play Gloria.
Gareth Dunnet-Alcocer will pen the script, while Kevin Misher (Kimberly Peirce’s “Carrie”) and Pablo Cruz (the original “Miss Bala”) will produce. Andy Berman (“Rosewood”) will exec produce.
“The truth is, most of those female stories that are contending for Oscars are directed by men. Let’s be honest,” Hardwicke has said about the films that generate awards buzz. “All the ones that were getting an Oscar pitch with the money and everything behind them were by men.”
Hardwicke’s “Twilight” earned $383 million worldwide on a budget of $37 million. It still holds the record of the highest opening weekend for a female director. “Miss You Already,” “Red Riding Hood,” and “Thirteen” are among her other films. Hardwicke is attached to direct the big screen adaptation of YA novel “Stargirl” toplined by Joey King (“Fargo”).
