The bestselling Twilight book by Stephenie Meyer was supposedly based on the characters and plot of Pride and Prejudice. Personally, I could never imagine the majestic Mr. Darcy to ever lower himself to hang out with the mopey Edward Cullen. And the isolated and stubborn Bella Swan would only seem to annoy the witty and engaging Elizabeth Bennet; however, who am I to say…
John Spence’s biography Becoming Jane Austen became the popular 2007 movie Becoming Jane that won the 2007 People's Choice Award for "Favorite Independent Movie". Becoming Jane starred Anne Hathaway and James McAvoy…ah, James McAvoy… those dreamy eyes… Hmmm…whoops, what was I talking about?
Pride and Prejudice and Zombies by authors Jane Austen and Seth Grahame-Smith hit #3 on the New York Times Bestseller List! Funnier still, Entertainment Weekly magazine announced in their May 6, 2011 edition that director Craig Gillespie (director of Lars and the Real Girl) has signed on to direct the movie adaptation of this book! I could have done without Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, but Pride and Prejudice and Zombies was awesome--I really wish I had had the idea to write that book. Sigh.
New productions of Jane Austen classics continue to flourish—including the 2009 Masterpiece version of Emma, the 2008 ITV Lost in Austen series, and the 2007 the Jane Austen Book Club movie. And let’s not forget the Latina version of Sense and Sensibility, From Prada to Nada (2011). And older productions of Jane Austen have made the big bucks—the 2005 movie version of Pride and Prejudice grossed over $120 million and the 1995 movie version of Sense and Sensibility over $134 million. I would spend money to see another Jane Austen-related movie or buy another Jane Austen-related book. In a heart beat. Better yet, I would be willing to write another Jane Austen-related movie or book!
So, to those who may scoff at the mention of Jane Austen, you and me, we know better. She has some serious staying power.
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