'The Rosie Project': Screenwriters, directors could be set for movie adaptation

The movie adaptation of the novel “The Rosie Project,” by Graeme Simsion continues to move forward.

According to Deadline, Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, who wrote the scripts for this summer’s young adult hit “The Fault in Our Stars,” the well-received 2013 teen drama “The Spectacular Now,” and the 2009 movie “(500) Days of Summer,” are on board to adapt Simsion’s novel for the screen.

In addition, Christopher Miller and Phil Lord, who co-directed this year’s hit “The Lego Movie,” could direct the film.

“Rosie” tells the story of genetics professor Don Tillman, who decides he should find a wife and is determined to go about it in a scientific manner. This all goes out the window when he meets barmaid Rosie Jarman, who fulfills none of his criteria but to whom he finds himself drawn.

Columbia Pictures production president Hannah Minghella expressed enthusiasm over the project when the screen rights for the novel were optioned. 

“We love this story,” Minghella said, according to Deadline. “Not only does it have tremendous commercial appeal, but a wonderfully interesting, groundbreaking lead character.”

“He's this guy who does everything through data," Amazon editorial director Sara Nelson said of the book when Amazon selected “Rosie” as one of its best books of October 2013, the month in which it was released. "She's the exact wrong person, so of course she's perfect for him.”

The book received other positive reviews at the time of its publication, with Booklist awarding it a starred review and writing, “Funny, touching, and hard to put down… For a book about a logic-based quest for love, it has a lot of heart… immensely enjoyable” and Christina Ianzito of the Washington Post calling it “genuinely funny… classic rom-com.” 

Simsion is publishing a sequel to his novel, titled “The Rosie Effect,” in December.