It seems like every other day brings news of another story by award-winning author Neil Gaiman being turned into a film or television series. This time, it’s an upcoming big-screen adaptation of his short story How To Talk To Girls At Parties, with Maleficent actress Elle Fanning set to star in the film.
The 2006 story was originally published in Gaiman’s Fragile Things anthology, and follows a pair of schoolboys who attend a party where they discover that the girls there are something very different than what they initially seem. The story received multiple nominations for literary awards, and won the Locus Award for the year’s best short story.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, the story will be adapted by Philippa Goslett (Little Ashes) and John Cameron Mitchell (Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus), with Mitchell directing the film. Mitchell previously directed the 2010 film Rabbit Hole, and has appeared on several episodes of HBO’s Girls, as well as starring in Hedwig and the Angry Inch. The film version of How To Talk To Girls At Parties will reportedly expand on the original story, with the boys embarking on a tour of London’s neighborhoods with at least one of the strange girls — likely played by Fanning.
Gaiman’s work has been in the news quite a bit lately, with his novel American Gods headed to television and a long-awaited adaptation of his celebrated comic book series Sandman headed to theaters.
You can read How To Talk To Girls At Parties in its entirety at Gaiman’s website, NeilGaiman.com.
