Is Tom Hooper finally out of director’s jail?
Inflicting “Cats” upon us, Hooper appears ready to rejoin polite cinematic society, having already attached himself to the Natalie Portman–starring “Photograph 51,” and now setting up another project.
Millie Bobby Brown, who recently exited the Netflix movie “Perfect,” is set to team up with Hooper, a directing Oscar winner, for an adaptation of her own New York Times bestselling novel “Nineteen Steps” for Netflix.
Anthony McCarten, a four-time Oscar nominee (“Bohemian Rhapsody” and “The Theory of Everything”), is set to adapt Brown’s book into a screenplay.
Set during World War II and inspired by Brown’s grandmother’s experiences, the novel— which Brown actually admitted was written by Kathleen McGurl—follows 18-year-old Nellie Morris from Bethnal Green in East London. Living through air raids, rationing, and separation from loved ones, Nellie struggles to maintain hope while forming a new romance with American airman Ray.
Since the critical and commercial disappointment of “Cats,” Hooper decided to take a step back from filmmaking. He pivoted to commercials, directing ads for Vodafone, McDonald’s, Santander, and Vanish—because nothing says Oscar pedigree like stain remover.
In February 2024, Hooper resurfaced, revealing he has been quietly developing new projects and is now itching to return to directing. Apparently, the feline nightmares have worn off.
Let’s not forget: Hooper was once the Academy’s darling. From 2010 to 2015, he helmed the prestige trifecta—“The King’s Speech” (Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, and Best Original Screenplay), “Les Misérables” (eight nominations, three wins), and “The Danish Girl” (an Oscar for Alicia Vikander). Then came “Cats,” and the curtain fell hard.
Malkovich, a two-time Oscar nominee, fought back tears while the audience cheered him, which has become a first-stop tradition to kick-start an Oscar campaign — tears need to be shed!