Movie Info


On September 23rd, 2009, the entertainment and media world released the news that Universal was in final talks to acquire the rights to the 181-strong Sweet Valley High book series, for Academy Award winning screenwriter Diablo Cody to adapt to the big screen. The news – which has whipped fans in to an absolute frenzy as to who's going to be cast/ what approach is going to be taken and when it is going to be released – has yet to confirm or set in stone anything concrete or specific as yet… however, in an exclusive article published within Entertainment Weekly’s October 23rd 2009 issue, Diablo has mentioned how her meeting with Francine Pascal, saw them both envisioning the movie from a very similar perspective.



Additionally, via live updates through her personal Twitter page, Diablo has said that the film will be set in the 1980’s, much like the original novels: “Don’t feel like brokering some deal with T-Mobile to give Enid a Sidekick.” It won’t be anything like the 1990’s television series based on the books. The story will be a “sharp comedy/satire” but will feature “plenty of ‘sincere’ SVH moments too.” “No werewolves. Plenty of Todd.”

MOVIE NEWS TIMELINE:

November 16th 2011: Alex Steele has been cast to play mousy-haired Enid Rollins in the up 'n' coming SVH Movie. This information - which goes without saying - is of course subject to change at any given time. But for now, IMDbPro has her name down for that particular character-role. There has been no further casting news or any other info confirming a release date. Big thanks to Ali (sweetmemor_ies/ kitykat) for the info!


November 19th 2011: Diablo Cody Wants 'Sweet Valley High' To Be 'American Graffiti' For The '80s & Says 'It's Closer To Reality Than Ever'
"...[the movie] is moving forward, I need to talk to the producers and see how much I can say about it. It's closer to reality than ever but I can't freely talk about it. I want it to be wonderfully nostalgic," Cody said. "I want it to be to the '80s what 'American Graffiti was to the [early] '60s. I want it to be looking back on a really cool time and enjoying yourself and I want it to be glamorous and colourful and bubblegum and a feast for the senses. That's my plan."


December 5th 2011: Further Movie news from the Young Adult press conference; where Diablo somewhat, unexpectedly said, she won't be pulling her punches, suggesting that younger teens will have to sneak in for the film. "I wrote the 'Sweet Valley High' movie that is currently progressing toward production, I hope. We're hoping for the hard 'R' [rating]."
R Rating (US) - Restricted; Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.


December 9th 2011: Via an interview conducted by Margaret Bristol for Bookish:

Bookish: Whether you're trying to be cool in high school or trying to be the cool mom on the playground, some things don't change.
DC: I don't think coolness used to be such a commodity among adults. And now it is. When I was growing up, the moms on the playground had pants pulled up to their boobs and curlers in their hair. And now, when I take my son to the playground, there is this weird clique mentality; you still have to be hot. And you still have to be "with it." I think everybody's in this state of sustained adolescence.

Bookish: Do you think those feelings of insecurity from adolescence ever really go away?
DC: No, it doesn't. I wrote a screenplay for a "Sweet Valley High" adaptation, and it's really amazing to me how many women who are my age have responded to the idea and are excited about the movie.

Bookish: How did you get involved with rebooting "Sweet Valley?"
DC: I had declared in several interviews that "Sweet Valley High" was my dream project. I had never adapted a prior work before. That turned out to be a really positive thing because then when the opportunity arose, when the property became available, I was able to just kind of throw myself in there and be like, "Oh, look, I've got dibs." So when I had the opportunity to meet with Francine and kind of convince her that [I was right for the project], it was an amazing day for me. I met her at the Beverly Hills Hotel and I thought, 'I can't believe I'm sitting at this pink hotel. This is like my childhood fantasy.'

Bookish: Those books were such a portrait of the times and the mall generation. So much has changed.
DC: What's considered cool has really changed, too. Like I don't know if somebody like Jessica would be really popular or beloved these days because to borrow a phrase from the '80s, I think it's more "hip to be square." I think Enid would be the most popular girl in school now. Everybody wants to be quirky.

Bookish: In getting ready for "Sweet Valley" and researching YA writers for "Young Adult," did you read a bunch of modern teen fiction?
DC: I read the Hunger Games [series]. Those are fantastic. I also, just for the sake of cultural literacy, have read the Twilight series.


December 11th 2011: In an article written by Jim Slotek, QMI Agency that's been posted on the London Free Press website; Diablo adds that she has "created one new character"
"...I created one new character. She's female and she's not the typical resident of Sweet Valley, I'll put it that way. She is the fish out of water. But everybody else who's in the books is there."


January 12th 2012: In a brief interview given to Josh Horowitz (of MTV News), on the carpet of last nights' 2011 Critics' Choice Movie Awards, Diablo went on to report the following: "Oh my gosh! OK, so I am so excited about 'Sweet Valley High.' There's original songs being written for it right now, which is the most exciting development. They're amazing. They're being written by these Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning songwriters from Broadway who are the best," she gushed, confirming that the film will be a musical version of the novels. "Brian Yorkey and Tom Kitt, who wrote [the Broadway show] 'Next to Normal'; they're amazing and I'm sorry, I could go on and on. But I'm very excited about 'Sweet Valley High.' It's going to blow people's minds. I haven't really had the chance to talk about this yet, so it's exciting."



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