By Colorful article titles aside, David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express, Your Highness, The Sitter) is set to adapt Evan Mandery’s novel Q for Columbia Pictures. The novel revolves around a man who is visited by a future version of himself who tells him not to marry the love of his life, Quentina Elizabeth Deveril (The semi-eponymous Q). He agrees to his future self’s wishes, but then spends the rest of his life trying to undo his decision all while more future selves try to thwart his plans by telling him to go through all these “self-improvements” as it were in order to distract himself from Q. Since this is a romance novel, you can guess where this is all leading. I’ve never read the book, but the ending seems really predictable. The tone of the film has been described succinctly as It’s a Wonderful Life, combining elements of comedy, drama and romance.
I’m a huge “time travel in cinema” geek, as well as somewhat of a romantic comedy nerd, so in all likelihood, if the trailer doesn’t look too stupid, I will probably go see this. Bonus points if they cast Zac Efron in the lead role, the epitome of a multi-talented, good-looking and all-American young man. You would think I’m being sarcastic, but sadly this isn’t the case. Just see him in 17 Again or Me and Orson Welles. You won’t regret it.
Hit the jump for a synopsis of Q from Amazon…
[Via Collider]“Q, Quentina Elizabeth Deveril, is the love of my life.”
Shortly before his wedding, the unnamed hero of this uncommon romance is visited by a man who claims to be his future self and ominously admonishes him that he must not marry the love of his life, Q. At first the protagonist doubts this stranger, but in time he becomes convinced of the authenticity of the warning and leaves his fiance. The resulting void in his life is impossible to fill. One after the other, future selves arrive urging him to marry someone else, divorce, attend law school, leave law school, travel, join a running club, stop running, study the guitar, the cello, Proust, Buddhism, and opera, and eliminate gluten from his diet. The only constants in this madcap quest for personal improvement are his love for his New York City home and for the irresistible Q.
A unique literary talent, Evan Mandery turns the classic story of transcendent love on its head, with an ending that will melt even the darkest heart.