Neil Jordan to Film Joe Hill's 'Heart Shaped Box'

Neil Jordan (who looks exactly like Terry Gilliam, no?) is set to adapt Joe Hill's novel Heart Shaped Box for the big screen. Jordan will direct as well, with Oscar-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman producing. Joe Hill is the son of horror master Stephen King, and it looks like the genes paid off; Hill's book has been very well received. Heart Shaped Box has nothing to do with Kurt Cobain, but it is about an aging rock star who loves spooky artifacts. He spots an ad on eBay for a suit that contains a ghost. The suit arrives, and - dun dun dah! - the ghost wants him dead. The book was released in February and was Hill's first novel, after an acclaimed run writing short stories.

I like Neil Jordan as a filmmaker, but the guy has fared very poorly when it comes to movies about ghosts. I don't know if you ever saw his High Spirits with Peter O'Toole and Steve Guttenberg, but - woof! The guy's got a spotty track record, but when he's on he makes some excellent films. Hopefully this new thriller is more The Crying Game than In Dreams. Jordan's next feature is The Brave One, another thriller, starring Jodie Foster and Terrence Howard. He's also got A Killing on Carnival Row in his future, which we recently told you about. That one sounds interesting! Did any of you read this Heart Shaped Box? Is it worth checking out?