Bier to replace Aronofsky on Serena

by Jorn Rossing Jensen

03/02/2012 - Danish director Susanne Bier, whose In a Better World [trailer] (2010) scooped the Golden Globe and the Oscar for Best Foreign-Language Feature before wining her the Best Director trophy at the European Film Awards, has taken over the US production of Serena, with new Hollywood stars Jennifer Lawrence (Oscar-nominated for Winter’s Bone) and Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) in the leads.

According to today’s (February 3) New York Times she will replace US director Darren Aronofsky, who was signed early 2010 to helm the adaption of US author Ron Rash’s 2008 novel (the information is so new that Aronofsky is still listed in the full production credits). It will be Bier’s second Hollywood movie, after Things We Lost in the Fire with Halle Berry (2007).

Originally Angelina Jolie was cast as Serena, who – with her new husband George Pemberton - in the depression era (1929) travel from Boston to the North Carolina mountains to create a timber empire. Scripted by Christopher Kyle, the film will be produced by Todd Wagner for Exclusive Media Group, Nick Wechsler Productions and Chockstone Pictures.

Bier has recently set up her own production company, Copenhagen-based Lowfatfilm, with Danish scriptwriter Anders Thomas Jensen, who has worked with her on the screenplays for her last five Danish-produced films, including A Better World. They are currently developing their first film project, Alice, with support from the Danish Film Institute.

Bier emphasised she is not leaving Zentropa Entertainments and producer Sisse Graum Jørgensen, who produced In A Better World and her upcoming All You Need Is Love. Starring Irish actor Pierce Brosnan and Danish actress Trine Dyrholm, her first romantic comedy in 12 years was mainly shot in southern Italy will be domestically released on August 30.