NEW YORK (Variety) - "X-Files" star Gillian Anderson has put up her own money to option the Elizabeth Rosner novel "Speed of Light," which the actress will adapt to make her feature directorial debut once she completes her ninth and final season on the series.
Published by Ballantine, "Speed of Light" centers on a young man who lives with his sister in Berkeley and has become an obsessive-compulsive recluse after being brought up by a father shellshocked by his ordeal as an Auschwitz survivor. He is slowly brought out of his shell by a Latina housekeeper who, to his surprise, has a lot in common with him. She was the lone survivor when her entire Mexican village was obliterated and its inhabitants slaughtered.
Meanwhile, the man's sister has gone to Budapest to trace the family's roots and uncovers a horrible secret about her father's time in the concentration camp.
While Anderson has spent nearly a decade on a popular TV series known for its twists and turns, her desire to head into features as a writer and director is surprising. She got a chance to do both on the "X-Files" episode "All Things," but said it wasn't until she read the novel that she felt the drive to control the way a story was told on the big screen.
"Directing was a transformative experience for me, one that I really enjoyed," Anderson said. "Then when I picked up this book and started reading the poetry of her words, I found myself trying to visualize where the camera should be, the colors of the characters, the texture of the shots. It felt so intimate and natural, like I wrote it myself. I took the steps to option it, something I'd never done before. It's a beautiful piece that needs to see the light of day, and hopefully I can do it justice."
Anderson has just begun writing, with hopes of getting "Speed of Light" financed when her character, Scully, leaves the small screen for good in April. She won't play a role in the film but is hardly giving up acting, as she considers several feature starring offers.
"X-Files" creator Chris Carter is in negotiations with 20th Century Fox to develop a second feature based on his long-running hit TV series. As with the 1998 film, Carter would write and produce with Frank Spotnitz.
No cast deals been set. However, the project is being developed as a stand-alone vehicle for agents Mulder and Scully, and thus, original series stars David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson. Both have indicated a willingness to return for the new picture.
Duchovny is no longer with the Fox series; Anderson has long expressed her desire to leave the Fox show following the end of the show's ninth season, which begins Sunday. As a result, the plot of the picture will likely not be steeped in the elaborate "X" mythology but instead serve as a stand-alone feature.
Carter and Spotnitz are expected to begin writing the screenplay within the next few months. Pending the hiring of a director (Rob Bowman directed the original) and a greenlight, the picture could begin shooting by late 2002. It's expected the earliest the film could be released is Christmas 2003.
The first feature grossed $84 million domestically and also performed well in home video. Overall, figuring in licensing and syndication revenue, the "X-Files" franchise has made nearly $1 billion for Fox's News Corp. parent since the show launched in fall 1993.
"The X-Files" remains Fox's top-rated drama and the No. 2 drama on TV among the key demo target of adults 18-49.
