Werner Herzog is setting out to film an adaptation of DBC Pierre “Vernon God Little“, his Texas-set, Man Booker Prize-winning novel centered on fifteen-year-old Vernon Little, whose friend Jesus has just blown away sixteen of his classmates before turning the gun on himself. Vernon was Jesus’ only friend and as such has become the focus of the town’s need for vengeance.
Here’s the rest of the book’s synopsis:
The news of the tragedy has resulted in the quirky backwater being flooded with wannabe CNN hacks all-too-keen to claim their fifteen minutes and lay the blame for the killings at Vernon’s feet. In particular Eulalio Ledesma, who begins manipulating matters so that Vernon becomes the center for the bizarre and vengeful impulses of the townspeople of Martirio. But Vernon is sure he’ll be ok. “Why do movies end happy? Because they imitate life. You know it, I know it.”
Peopled by a cast of grotesques, freaks, coldblooded chattering housewives (who are all mysteriously, recently widowed), and one very special adolescent with an unfortunate talent for being in the wrong place at the right time, “Vernon God Little” is riotously funny and puts lust for vengeance, materialism, and trial by media squarely in the dock. It also heralds the arrival of one of the most exciting and acclaimed voices in contemporary fiction, who with this debut novel illustrates that in modern times innocence and basic humanity may not be enough.
The 2003 novel has already been adapted into two different stage plays and Andrew Birkin (Perfume) was charged with adapting it for the screen and now The Hollywood Reporter and The Wrap announce Russell Brand, Mike Tyson and Pamela Anderson are in talks to join the cast.
Austin Abrams (Aaron in The Kings of Summer) will play Vernon, Sasha Pieterse will play a girl Vernon has a crush on while Brand will play one of the “wannabe CNN hacks” who is willing to betray anyone in order to get a fresh angle on the hot-button school shooting story. No word on what roles Tyson and Anderson would play.
Filming is expected to begin this spring and I can’t imagine the casting getting any more interesting than this, but considering it’s Herzog this just might be the tip of the iceberg.
