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Robert Redford to Direct Adaptation of Bryson's 'Walk in the Woods'

by Ethan Anderton
May 9, 2013
Source: ScreenDaily

Despite normally starring in and directing more low key dramas, Robert Redford is taking some time for big blockbuster fun with a role as the head of S.H.I.E.L.D. in Captain America: The Winter Soldier next spring. Right now you can see his directorial effort The Company You Keep in limited theaters, ScreenDaily reports he's already lined up his next project with an adaptation of Bill Bryson's comedic travel and nature centric book A Walk in the Woods. Little Miss Sunshine screenwriter Michael Arndt (who is also scripting Star Wars: Episode VII for J.J. Abrams) is scripting the film being at Cannes this month. Read on!

The story follows Bryson, an Iowa native who has been living in England for 20 years, as he aims to reconnect with America by hiking the entire 2100 mile Appalachian Trail. But his connection with the homeland isn't very smooth as he learns some hard lessons about being a woodsman, falling into plenty of mishaps and problems, many hilarious. Along the way he encounters a group of terrible Boy Scouts and a seemingly always lost old man named Chicken John. But the story is made really interesting because of his grumpy hiking partner Katz, a reformed substance abuser. Sounds like it could be a fun comedy.

The project seems like something new for Redford who has focused on politically driven dramas and thrillers as of late, it does reunite him with his Lions for Lambs producers Chip Diggins and Bill Holderman. Honestly, I'm anxious to see what Redford does with a script form a gifted writer like Arndt, especially since this seems more along the lines of something like Little Miss Sunshine, one of my favorite indies. Maybe he'll even end up bringing it to Sundance if he finishes it around the time of the next festival.

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