New Line Cinema has acquired the nonfiction best seller "He's Just Not That Into You: The No-Excuses Truth To Understanding Guys" by former "Sex and the City" writers Greg Behrendt and Liz Tuccillo.
The writers also will adapt the book for New Line. Overseeing the project for the studio are execs Mark Ordesky, Kent Alterman, Swanna MacNair and Michele Weiss.
"Not That Into You" uses a comic question-and-answer format to teach women how to stop kidding themselves when men just aren't interested. The first chapter is titled "He's Just Not That Into You If He Isn't Asking You Out." The book goes through a list of excuses including "Maybe He Doesn't Want To Spoil Our Friendship" or "Maybe He's Intimidated by Me."
Toby Emmerich, president of New Line Prods., began pursuing the property before its publication on the strength of its title and concept. "The minute I heard the title, I thought it could be a great movie," he said.
The authors chose to develop a plot line for the film before selling the book rights and devised a scenario that will focus on a woman who hosts a talk show and a man she becomes involved with after he guests on the show. "It's a great idea with two very castable parts," Emmerich said, "and it's a movie I'd like to get into production next year."
The book launched publisher Simon & Schuster's new division, Simon Spotlight Entertainment, which targets the 18-34 demographic, in September. Its first print run was 30,000; the book has gone back to press 13 times, and 1.2 million copies are now in print. "Not That Into You" and its authors have been featured twice on "The Oprah Winfrey Show."
"The moment we got the concept for this book, and we're talking over year ago, we knew it was going to be the poster child book for what our imprint was all about," SSE publisher Jen Bergstrom said. "It was hip, it was fresh, and it was funny, which meant it was going to speak to our target demo. ... The book is affordable advice. It costs less than a manicure and a pedicure, and it makes you feel so much better."
ICM, which brokered the six-figure deal, reps Behrendt. Tuccillo is repped by UTA. SSE is repped by the Gotham Group. (Story courtesy of the Hollywood Reporter)
E-MAIL AUTHOR
