Author and venture capitalist J.D. Vance’s bestseller Hillbilly Elegy is about to become a film. Netflix won in a bidding war for the sought-after adaptation in a $45 million deal, according to Deadline. Ron Howard will direct the film and The Shape Of Water co-writer Vanessa Taylor is adapting.
Netflix Swoops On Ron Howard’s Film Version Of ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ In Whopping $45M Deal https://t.co/XaPNkMXgI2 pic.twitter.com/us2gbl7j76
— Deadline Hollywood (@DEADLINE) January 25, 2019
Hillbilly Elegy is the 2016 bestselling memoir where Vance takes a look back on his life growing up in the “Rust Belt” and examines the everyday struggle of the “hillbilly” working class, including drug addiction and economic challenges.
Vance also used his memoir’s success to explain why Donald Trump became president all over TV news—using it as a symbol of the forgotten people and values that bred resentment from white Americans toward Washington, D.C. As such it became a preachy flashpoint for conservatives.
“Well this happened,” Vance tweeted in response to the news.
https://twitter.com/JDVance1/status/1088853303981731841
Many people are less than thrilled to see the book become a film.
“Netflix just be like lets waste money,” one person joked.
https://twitter.com/beguiled2017/status/1088820194695368705
“Truly the Fyre Festival of Netflix originals,” someone wrote.
Truly the Fyre Festival of Netflix originals. https://t.co/bURfNbCXSa
— Colin Diersing (@cdiersing) January 25, 2019
“Will some asteroid please just come and put us out of our fucking misery,” another person added.
will some asteroid please just come and put us out of our fucking misery https://t.co/sdkAW7GJQ6
— Chase Woodruff (@dcwoodruff) January 25, 2019
No release date has been announced.