Lisbeth Salander, the cult figure and title character of the acclaimed Millennium book series created byStieg Larsson, will return to the screen in The Girl in the Spider’s Web, a first-time adaptation of the recent global bestseller written byDavid Lagercrantz.Fede Alvarez, the director of 2016’s breakout thrillerDon’t Breathe, will helm the project from a screenplay bySteven KnightandFede Alvarez&Jay Basu.Scott Rudin,Soren Staermose,Ole Sondberg,Amy Pascal,Elizabeth Cantillon,Eli Bush, andBerna Levinwill produce; the executive producers areAnni Faurbye Fernandez,Line Winther Skyum Funch,Johannes JensenandDavid Fincher.
The new film will feature an entirely new cast, and the announcement marks the kickoff of a global search for an actress to portray in the iconic role ofLisbeth Salander. The production will begin principal photography in September of this year with a release date scheduled for June 20, 2025. As of now, the only other movie slated for release on that date is Warner Bros.‘Aquaman, which will start filming this summer in Australia.
The Girl in the Spider’s Webwill be the first in thebest-selling seriesto be produced into an English-language film in its initial adaptation. The previous books in the series have been adapted into Swedish-language films, andThe Girl with the Dragon Tattoowas a remake of the Swedish film. It became a global hit for Columbia Pictures, taking in over $230 million worldwide. Here’s what Sanford Panitch, president of Columbia Pictures, had to say in his statement.
“In all of contemporary literature, Lisbeth Salander is completely sui generis, probably one of the greatest female literary characters of all time in my view. Modern punk defiance personified, she is unforgettable in every incarnation, truly one of the most compelling characters we’ve seen in recent years.David Lagercrantz’s brilliant work in continuing this remarkable series honors Stieg Larsson’s masterpiece. We at Sony are so honored to be part of this series with Yellowbird, and we’re so excited to be making an original film of The Girl in the Spider’s Web.Fede Alvarezis the perfect choice to direct.Fedeis an amazing director with a unique vision of the world. In particular, his talent and skill in creating psychological intensity will bring Lisbeth Salander back into popular movie culture with a roar.”
The announcement was made today at the London Book Fair during a celebration for the fifthMillennium booklaunch, also byLagercrantz.Sony’s Columbia Pictures retains the rights to all future Millennium Series books. Here’s what directorFede Alvarezhad to say in his statement.
“I’m hugely excited and grateful for this opportunity. Sony has become family to me and I can’t think of a more thrilling project to celebrate our relationship. Lisbeth Salander is the kind of character any director dreams of bringing to life. We’ve got a great script and now comes the most fun part, finding our Lisbeth.”
The Millennium Series is a worldwide bestseller, with the four books selling over 86 million copies since their debut.Noomi Rapaceplayed Lisbeth Salander in the original Swedish-language films, withRooney Maraplaying the iconic character in Sony’s 2011 English-language adaptation ofThe Girl With the Dragon Tattoo. With production starting this fall, hopefully we’ll hear who is playing the latest version of the iconic Lisbeth Salander character very soon inThe Girl in the Spider’s Web.
