Screenwriter named to adapt Nicholas Sparks’ ‘Dear John’
Screenwriter Jamie Linden (“We Are Marshall”) has been tapped to adapt Nicholas Sparks’ bestselling novel “Dear John” for New Line.
Sparks’ post-9/11 book is set in North Carolina and is expected to star Channing Tatum as John Tyree, a 23-year-old Army grunt. Tyree falls in love with the teetotaler, virginal co-ed Savannah Lynn Curtis while on leave. After the World Trade Center is attacked, Tyree reenlists for more time in the Middle East. Eventually, Curtis’ communications become less frequent until he finally receives a “Dear John” letter.
Sparks’ prior novels, “Message in a Bottle” and “A Walk to Remember,” have also been adapted into romantic dramas aimed at young adults. New Line, which released the surprise hit “The Notebook,” is looking to tap into a similar sweet spot with “Dear John.” Tatum was previously seen in “Step Up” and “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints.” New Line will be looking for a director and a female lead for Linden’s adaptation.
Temple Hill partners Marty Bowen and Wyck Godfrey will produce the film for New Line President of Production Toby Emmerich.
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