BILLY ELLIOT Director Stephen Daldry To Direct Film Version of Safram Foer’s "Extremely Loud and Incredible Close" Novel

According to The Hollywood Reporter, two-time Tony Award winning Stephen Daldry is set to direct a movie adaptation of Safram Foer's novel "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close."

The film will be based on the 2005 book which tells the story of 9-year-old Oskar Schell. The boy is looking all over New York for the lock that matches a key left behind by his father who died in the September 11 attacks. The screenplay will be by Eric Roth ("The Curious Case of Benjamin Button").

Scott Rudkin will produce the film which will be co-produced by Paramount and Warner Bros.

Daldry is the winner of the Tony Award for Best Director of a Musical for his work on BILLY ELLIOT and AN INSPECTOR CALLS. He was also the director of David Hare's VIA DOLOROSA when it played on Broadway. His film credits include "Billy Elliot," "The Hours," and "The Reader." He has received three Academy Award nominations for directing for all three of his films.

BILLY ELLIOT is currently playing on Broadway. The 2009 Tony Award-winning Best Musical features music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreographed by Peter Darling and directed by Stephen Daldry. BILLY ELLIOT opened at Broadway's Imperial Theatre (240 W 45th St) Thursday, November 13th, 2009 and was the winner of ten 2009 Tony Awards.

BILLY ELLIOT is the funny, heartwarming tale of a young boy with a dream, and a celebration of his triumph against the odds. Set against the historic British miners' strike of the 1980s, the story follows Billy's journey as a boy in a small mining town who, after stumbling across a ballet class while on his way to a boxing lesson, realizes that his future lay not in the boxing ring but on stage as a dancer.

For tickets and information, visit www.billyelliotbroadway.com.

Photo Credit: Linda Lenzi