Everyone’s favorite country star, Dolly Parton, is coming back to the big screen — and this time, in an adaptation of her own book, Run, Rose, Run. Reese Witherspoon‘s Hello Sunshine, the media company founded by the multi-hyphenate six years ago, announced the adaptation of Parton‘s book, co-written with James Patterson — which was published on March 7 this year, and debuted at number one on the New York Times bestseller list — earlier today.
The legendary eleven-time Grammy winning and twice Oscar-nominated star wrote the book about a “young woman who comes to country music’s capital city” — Nashville, Tennessee — “to pursue her music-making dreams”. Parton also released an album of the same name to accompany the novel, which was released on March 4 and debuted at number one the Current Country albums, American/Folk and Bluegrass charts.
Who Parton will play in the movie is yet to be confirmed, as are wider cast details, though we know the film will feature a number of unsavory characters, as the titular Rose’s past catches up with her in Nashville. Parton and Patterson are producers on the feature, alongside Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine‘s President of Film and Television, Lauren Neustadter. Ashley Strumwasser will executive produce for Hello Sunshine.
Of the project, Witherspoon said:
“Growing up in Nashville, I’ve loved Dolly since the moment I heard her magical voice and saw her luminous personality shine onstage. Beyond her magnetic presence as an artist and performer, she is one of the greatest songwriters and storytellers of our time. Her impact knows no bounds – as a musician, actor, writer, businesswoman, activist and all around incredible human being – Dolly Parton is not only an icon to me, but a true inspiration to women and girls everywhere. My admiration for her grew to even greater heights when reading Run, Rose, Run, a gripping and heartbreaking book I couldn’t put down. I couldn’t feel more honored to be working alongside her and James to bring this remarkable story to the screen.”
Parton also released a statement, saying:
“I’m proud, excited and honored to be working with my good friend Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine on the movie of Run, Rose, Run from the novel I co-wrote with James Patterson. James and I love Reese and look forward to working with her and her wonderful team.”
Patterson said:
“It has been a joy working with Dolly Parton on this book. It’s a great story that we are both proud of. And, in partnership with Reese Witherspoon and Hello Sunshine, we will produce a great movie.”
No official release date has been announced for Run, Rose, Run. Here’s the novel’s synopsis:
“Set in Nashville, Run, Rose, Run is about a young woman who comes to country music’s capital city to pursue her music-making dreams. The source of her heart-wrenching songs is a brutal secret she has tried desperately to hide, but the past she has fled is reaching out to control her future—and it may destroy everything she has worked for.”
via Collider