While Little Miss Sunshine writer Michael Ardnt went on to bigger things (namely the highest grossing film of the year, Toy Story 3), directors Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris have yet to make another feature. Their Sundance break-out hit was not only a box office sensation, taking in $100 million worldwide, but it also scored two Oscar nominations including Best Picture.
24 Frames/LA Times now reports their next feature will be He Loves Me. Little Miss Sunshine star Paul Dano will lead the film, written by his real-life girlfriend Zoe Kazan (Happythankyoumoreplease, Meek’s Cutoff), who will star as well. Sunshine producers Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa will return for the story following “a young novelist who achieves success early in his career but begins to face struggles. In a bid to overcome writer’s block, he is told to write the woman he thinks will love him. He winds up willing her into existence.”
While there are comparisons to Adaptation and Weird Science, Berger stated “the plot couldn’t be more different than Little Miss Sunshine, but in terms of a movie with comedy, with heart and with strong characters, I think it’s very similar.” I personally enjoyed Little Miss Sunshine, and welcome the return of these filmmakers, but something about Kazan turns me off. I thought she was one of the weaker elements in Happythankyoumoreplease and most certainly Meek’s Cutoff. I hope her writing can prove me wrong and considering how selective Faris/Dayton are, there has to be something special to this script.
Were you a big fan of Little Miss Sunshine? What do you think of He Loves Me?