Cary Fukunaga is on a roll; his feature debut Sin Nombre (our review) (a film I have yet to see) was extremely well received and he caught my attention with his recent Levi’s commercials. He seems the type of guy to try his hand at whatever comes his way and news that he’s working on an adaptation of a classic novel certainly suggests exactly that.

Variety reports that Fukunaga is in “advanced negotiations” to adapt one of the most notable (and adapted) works in the English language, Charlotte Bronte’s “Jane Eyre” with a focus on the story’s gothic elements. We previously noted that Canadian starlet Ellen Page was attached to the project but she has moved on leaving the titular role open (wonder if she’s kicking herself for the missed opportunity?).

Aside from Fukunaga’s attachment, there seems to be a lot of buzz generating around the woman writing the adaptation. Moira Buffini is an acclaimed playwright who recently adapted Posy Simmonds’ graphic novel “Tamara Drewe” for director Stephen Frears. All fine and well but what really caught my attention about Buffini is the tidbit of information that her stage play “A Vampire Story” is being reworked for the big screen under the new title of Byzantium. A little reading uncovered an entry at /Film which provides more information on the project, one I’m very keen on following (for obvious reasons).

I’m not sure another interpretation of Eyre is really necessary but as long as the directors provide a new take on the material, I’m on board and Fukunaga’s work certainly suggests this won’t be your typical BBC spin-off. As for Buffini’s Byzantium…more vampires? Yes please.