'The Giver' movie adaptation, starring Jeff Bridges, casts the part of protagonist Jonas
A movie adaptation of Lois Lowry鈥檚 classic children鈥檚 novel 鈥淭he Giver鈥� is slowly taking shape.
The film adaptation will star 鈥淐razy Heart鈥� actor Jeff Bridges as the Giver himself and, it was recently announced, actor Brenton Thwaites as Jonas, the protagonist of the novel.
According to the website , 鈥淪alt鈥� director Philip Noyce is directing the fillm. Screenwriter Vadim Perelman, who penned the screenplay for the 2003 film 鈥淗ouse of Sand and Fog,鈥� is adapting the book for the big screen.
鈥淭he Giver,鈥� which was originally released in 1993, follows a boy named Jonas, who has been chosen to take on the post of Receiver of Memory in his society. He meets the Giver, the man who held the position before he did, and gradually realizes his world is not what it seems. Filming is planned to begin this fall.
A stage adaptation of the show had previously been produced and performed around the US.
Thwaites, who was reportedly born in 1989, is older than his character of Jonas in the novel, who is 12. This change has already angered some fans of the book, with writer Hillary Busis writing a column titled 鈥溾�橳he Giver鈥�: Why the movie鈥檚 Jonas is the wrong choice.鈥� The casting of Thwaites 鈥渋mplies that [production staff] may fundamentally misunderstand the soul of Lois Lowry鈥檚 original novel,鈥� she wrote, calling Jonas鈥檚 age one of his 鈥渃rucial traits.鈥�
Some commenters on both the EW article and an article about the casting which appeared on the website agreed.
鈥淚 don't see how this can be 鈥榓ged up鈥� and be as impactful,鈥� a commenter named Ann wrote on the Entertainment Weekly website. 鈥淭he very fact of Jonas being 12 and learning all of these things is what makes the book so compelling.鈥�
Another EW commenter named Scheebles agreed.
鈥淭he entire concept of forcing 12-year-olds to start professions that they didn't choose and restricting their development before the onset of puberty is what is horrifying about the novel,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淭he fact that Jonas is forced to deal with all of these memories while only 12 is key.鈥�
A Hypable commenter named Charbison expressed similar thoughts.
鈥淭he fact that Jonas is only 12 and facing these violent memories is what is so horrifying about this book,鈥� they wrote. 鈥淗e is burdened with the painful memories that those in the community cannot endure.鈥�
Some, however, seemed fine with the decision to cast Thwaites.
鈥淚 don't think it will change the story much if they age him,鈥� a Hypable commenter named Laura Jurgensmeyer wrote. 鈥淚 always pictured him older than an eleven year old anyway.鈥�
Either way, moviegoers will be seeing more of Thwaites 鈥� he was recently cast as the prince in the film adaptation of 鈥淢aleficent,鈥� which will star Angelina Jolie as the Sleeping Beauty villain and Elle Fanning as the slumbering princess.
