Beaks here...

With his update of 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA on hold at Disney, it appears David Fincher might've found a new project to tide him over - or to use as leverage to get Disney moving forward on the Verne adaptation.

Variety is reporting that Fincher is in talks to direct GONE GIRL for Fox and Reese Witherspoon's Pacific Standard shingle. The project is based on the celebrated bestseller by Gillian Flynn, which plays a twisty game of unreliable narrator(s) as it works through the mystery of a young woman's disappearance on her fifth wedding anniversary. The idea of Fincher screwing around with perspective and audience sympathy sounds promising, but I'll reserve judgment until they get a screenwriter attached. And a lead (which will probably be Witherspoon).

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA was put on a three-month hold last October so Steven Zaillian could rewrite Andrew Kevin Walker's screenplay. A decision is likely forthcoming, so this feels like Fincher putting a little bit of pressure on Disney. Either project sounds cool to me. I just hope Fincher is out of the Stieg Larsson business (as a director, at least).