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J.J. Abrams and Bad Robot Look to 'Let the Great World Spin'

by Ethan Anderton
December 11, 2009

The exploits of Frenchman Philippe Petit, who walked a tightrope between the Twin Towers in 1974, were chronicled in last year's Academy Award winner for Best Documentary, the universally praised James Marsh film Man on Wire. But it looks like the daring stunt of the past will be at the center of a new movie that has garnered interest from J.J. Abrams and his Bad Robot production banner as THR reports they are working out a rights deal to adapt Colum McCann's novel Let the Great World Spin a story that uses the event as the backdrop to an ensemble cast of characters struggling throughout New York. This could turn out great.

The ensemble cast of characters includes a young Irish monk living among prostitutes in the Bronx, a group of mothers mourning their sons who were killed in Vietnam, and a 38-year-old grandmother walking the streets with her teenage daughter. The story itself is meant to stand as an allegory to the tragic events of 9/11. Sounds like this has the potential to be quite the head-turner come the awards season in the year that it comes out. I wonder if Philippe Petit will get a cameo or even be involved with the movie. He deserves to be, considering he pulled off that stunt. Things will definitely become a little more clear and interesting once a director and cast is attached, so until then I hope Abrams makes some progress on the Star Trek sequel.

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