Goodbye, Rooney. Hello, Lisbeth: The new Girl With the Dragon Tattoo [updated]
Rooney Mara is becoming Lisbeth Salander for the American movie version of "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo." Steig Larsson's bestselling novel is being adapted for the screen by director David Fincher.
Fincher's most recent work is "The Social Network," a film in which Mara had a small role as the smart, annoyed girlfriend of pre-Facebook Mark Zuckerberg. Above left she appears at a screening of the film at the Palm Springs International Film Festival Gala. Some wondered whether Mara, who has played characters that are grounded and even sweet, has the edge to play Salander, a sexy, dangerous computer hacker.
People are wondering no longer. In a photo layout in the February issue of W magazine, Mara is transformed. Her eyebrows are bleached, her hair is chopped, and she got new piercings (eyebrow, lip, nipple). In the photos, she poses with a tattoo artist, on a motorcycle, lighting a cigarette, and with a mohawk. "Lisbeth is the goth Pippi [Longstocking]," Fincher tells the magazine.
Has Fincher taken liberties with the story to make it palatable to American film audiences? The magazine writes that Mikael Blomkvist, being played by Daniel Craig, will be "more gentlemanly," Salander will be "more aggressive" and that the book's ending "has been completely altered."
-- Carolyn Kellogg
[update 1/14 11:45am: the original version of this post included a photo of Rashida Jones, a costar in "The Social Network," from a January screening of the film both she and Mara attended]
Photo (left): Rooney Mara in "The Social Network". Credit: Merrick Morton / Columbia Tristar
Photo (right): Mara as Salander in the W magazine feature. Credit: W
Prepare for another dismal mutation of an excellent work. As soon as the Americans touch anything original, for which they have no appreciation, in their vain efforts to "Americanize it", its ruined. Click
Posted by: Anabelle | January 15, 2011 at 07:42 AM
I agree....The Swedish version was fantastic and the acting also..how can you do better? I can't imagine Hollywood making it as good or even better!
Posted by: Susan | January 15, 2011 at 08:52 AM
Agree, agree, agree! I'm awaiting the 3rd and final DVD of the original Swedish production. I've got the first two. We don't need any stinkin' American version.
Posted by: David M. Kinchen | January 15, 2011 at 09:31 AM
I agree with both of the posts: I have the first 2 DVDs and am eagerly awaiting the 3rd and final one. We don't need any stinkin' American adaptations of an outstanding Swedish production.
Posted by: David M. Kinchen | January 15, 2011 at 09:33 AM
ug.
Posted by: TL | January 15, 2011 at 10:18 AM
They changed the ending???? Won't see this one.
Posted by: sklein | January 15, 2011 at 11:03 AM
I won't be seeing it either. The Swedish version was great.
To be fair, though, the endings are probably the weakest parts of the original films.
Posted by: Eric | January 15, 2011 at 11:50 AM
They are going to ruin this film...
Posted by: SiR | January 15, 2011 at 12:23 PM
Oh no! Please god, not an American remake!
For pete's sake, can't Americans be content with reading subtitles?
Posted by: K.E. | January 15, 2011 at 01:15 PM
I thought Noomi Rapace nailed the part.
Posted by: ms | January 15, 2011 at 02:13 PM
I thought Noomi Rapace nailed the part.
Posted by: ms | January 15, 2011 at 02:13 PM
Thanks for the support! Being Swedish I totally agree and I think they should have picked Noomi Rapace for the role again…
Posted by: Sanna Ehdin | January 15, 2011 at 03:42 PM
Many things can be overlooked, but changing a perfectly good ending! Bosh!
Posted by: Annie | January 15, 2011 at 04:22 PM
miss it twice...
Posted by: s. security | January 15, 2011 at 05:33 PM
i'm not sure what everyone's gripes are. or rather, i'm not sure what all the lauding of the original trilogy is for. i've seen all 3--they were absolutely underwhelming, nothing very special about them at all. i liked the lisbeth character quite a bit, but honestly, this isn't exactly the ruining of some masterpiece; there was no masterpiece to begin with. this may be one of the rare occasions where the hollywood remake is more cohesive, though that's in itself a long shot.
Posted by: the malfeasant | January 16, 2011 at 09:58 AM
Noomi Rapace IS Lisbeth, there is no getting around that. However, this new film with Craig and Mara is going to give us another viewpoint and another take. It in no way negates the previous Swedish works, which were BRILLIANT by the way. I believe that in the end I will have two sets of films that are BOTH going to be five star pieces of work. So a win/win in my opinion.
Posted by: Ken D. Webber | January 19, 2011 at 06:50 AM