After 17 years of delays, the film adaptation of The Giver is finally coming together. And, based on the newly released The Giver trailer, it seems to be worth the wait.
The movie stars Jeff Bridges as the titular Giver, Meryl Streep as Chief Elder and 24-year-old Brenton Thwaites as Jonas. It is based on Lois Lowry’s instantly classic 1993 dystopian novel in which 12-year-old Jonas is selected to receive knowledge of what society was like before Sameness. After getting enlightened as the new Receiver of Memory, Jonas realizes he isn’t content to let others live in ignorance — hence setting the stage for the conflict.
Watch the official The Giver trailer, which debuted this morning…
Although some fans may be disappointed and/or confused as to why the film is on color while the novel is set in a colorless world, the general consensus seems to be increased anticipation for the film.
The end of the trailer references ReceiveYourDestiny.org, the promotional site that includes a message from The Giver.
“To represent their community, the receiver must represent four qualities: intelligence, integrity, courage and, above all, the capacity to see beyond,” says an in-character Jeff Bridges. “Do you believe you possess these attributes?”
Jeff, who also serves as the producer, bought the rights to the movie more than one decade ago. But, as Lois Lowry explained to Entertainment Weekly in 2012, regular production setbacks made her doubt the film would ever get made.
“Every now and then, some big studio gets involved, and some major player gets involved. And then time passes, and it all collapses again,” she said, suggesting studios struggled to adapt the book because it has less natural action than The Hunger Games or other young adult novels.
After many years of rejections, Harvey Weinstein finally signed on to make the film.
The Giver opens in theaters on August 15.
