Jessica Biel Ready To Sign For Indie 'Emanuel And The Truth About Fishes'

Seems like a big sector of movie news this week is about Rooney Mara, even when it isn't. The actress, starring now in David Fincher's version of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (and killing it, I might add) was in a 2009 film called Tanner Hall that didn't get much distribution or attention. A peek at the trailer for the movie might suggest the reason for the film's minor profile.

Still, Mara was set to play the title role in Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes from Tanner Hall director Francseca Gregorini until scheduling got in the way. (Suggesting that David Fincher was talking about A Nightmare on Elm Street rather than Tanner Hall when he said of Mara, "I know that her first foray into being the center of a movie was an incredibly draining, unproductive and bad experience for her.") Now Kaya Scodelario will play that role instead, and Jessica Biel is in final talks to play the other key role.

Variety says the script, written by Gregorini, is about "Emanuel (Scodelario), a troubled 17-year-old girl who babysits her new neighbor Linda's "baby," which is actually a very life-like doll. She goes along with the delusion while befriending Linda, who happens to be the spitting image of Emanuel's late mother."

I'll just say: yike. Jessica Biel is set to play Linda, who has lost her own child and cares for the doll as if it is alive. Previously we'd only heard that the lead character is "a young, troubled woman who becomes obsessed with her mysterious, new neighbor that looks uncannily like her dead mother."

So, despite not being taken at all with footage from Tanner Hall, this one has my interest. Sounds like it has the potential to be a weird psychological thriller with some depth relating to anxiety about motherhood. We'll see if it works out that way. You'll next be able to see Jessica Biel in the Total Recall remake, and while I'm trying to stay positive about that, I won't be surprised if Emanuel and the Truth About Fishes is more satisfying in the long run.