Derek Cianfrance was hired by Dreamworks to direct The Light Between Two Oceans, its adaptation of the novel by M.L. Stedman. Cianfrance’s previous films are Blue Valentine and The Place Beyond The Pines.
Deadline reports that Dreamworks broke the news today, with studio head Stacey Snider expressing excitement for the chance to work with Cianfrance.
“We certainly believe [Cianfrance] can make a modern epic from M.L.’s poignant novel and will be able to capture the great epic sweep and emotional honesty of this story,” she said.
Back in November, Dreamworks announced that it was pursuing the film rights to the book, with Harry Potter’s David Heyman producing. The book is set during World War I, centering on a lighthouse owner and his wife. The two find a boat washed on their isolated island off the coast of Australia and inside the boat is a baby and a dead body. They decide to raise the child as their own.
Cianfrance won acclaim in Hollywood for his first film, 2010’s Blue Valentine, which earned Michelle Williams an Oscar nomination. His most recent film is The Place Beyond The Pines. Both films starred Ryan Gosling.
image: Amazon