William Golding's popular 1954 novel Lord of the Flies, which explores the very worst of humanity as exhibited by young boys stranded alone on a remote island, "is a book about toxic masculinity and what happens when that is left unchecked," per the Hollywood Reporter. So if you're confused by a newly announced Warner Bros. film adaptation of the book that swaps boys for girls, well, you're not alone. More on the film, to be written and directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel:
- A modern take: Siegel tells Deadline it will be "a very faithful but contemporized adaptation of the book," which he refers to as "a timeless story that is especially relevant today, with the interpersonal conflicts and bullying." Two previous film adaptations were released in 1963 and 1990.
- So why the change? A female cast "might help people see the story anew," McGehee says. At the same time, "it breaks away from some of the conventions, the ways we think of boys and aggression."