Although it was instantly hailed as a classic when it was first published in 1994 and has been required reading at most middle schools ever since, Louis Lowry’s The Giver has struggled to make it to the big screen. The rights to the book were first purchased by Bill Cosby in 1994, but for various reasons, the movie never managed to make it beyond the development stage.
When The Hunger Games proved beyond all doubt that a market existed for bleak, dystopian science-fiction aimed at young teens, the movie version of The Giver was finally fast tracked into production. Shooting begins next month, and the Weinstein Company has an all-star cast lined up: Jeff Bridges will play the title role, Meryl Streep will play the Chief Elder, and Katie Holmes and Alexander Skarsgard will play the parents of Jonas, the young hero of the story (to be played by Australian newcomer Brenton Thwaites).
Today, the Weinsteins revealed a last minute addition to the cast: Taylor Swift will play Rosemary, the teen who was mentored by The Giver prior to Jonas. It will be Swift’s first major acting role since her bit part in Valentine’s Day in 2010.
The movie will be directed by Phillip Noyce (Salt, Rabbit-Proof Fence) and will be filmed on location in South Africa. Its release date has been set for Aug. 15, 2014.