Gone Girl is one of the best books I have read this year. Once my grandpa sent it to me, I couldn’t put it down, and it got me through a long wait in the airport. If you haven’t read it yet, DO. IT. It’s really good. Even better, Reese Witherspoon’s production company, Pacific Standards will be making it into a movie.

The rights to the New York Times bestseller were auctioned off last year for a reported $1.5 million to 20th Century Fox. Witherspoon will produce alongside Bruna Papandrea and Leslie Dixon, while the author, Gillian Flynn is attached to the screenplay. The big question remains: Who will be cast as the leads?

***SPOILERS***

Gone Girl is told from two perspectives: Amy, who goes missing on her fifth wedding anniversary and her husband, Nick who is suspected of her alleged murder. Here’s the catch: B-tch isn’t really dead but a sociopath trying to frame her husband. The obvious guess for Amy would be Witherspoon since she’s producing, which makes sense: She’s the right age and look for the character. But do you think she was picturing herself in the starring role as she was reading it? Reading aloud the words as if they were lines? I’m not saying that like it’s a bad thing; I used to imagine I was playing Lady Macbeth when I read Shakespeare’s play in high school. When asked whether Witherspoon would play Amy, Flynn just said that no decision has been made and she is just a producer right now. Translation: She’s definitely an option.

At first I pictured Charlize Theron, but because she always plays the antagonist the turn in plot would be too obvious. Maybe Michelle Williams? She played in Blue Valentine, which also revolved around a disintegrating marriage, but she’d be too young for the part. I could definitely picture Mark Ruffalo as Nick, though. He’s got that average Joe presence, he’s sincere but can still play a douche. (Mr. Ruffalo if you’re reading this, I mean that in the nicest way possible.) And hey, guess what? He and Witherspoon already played in Just Like Heaven together! How convenient would that be? Or better yet, why not cast her alongside Joaquin Phoenix? They were great together in Walk the Line! Do you see how easy fantasy casting is when you just recycle old on-screen couples? Why do you think Rock Hudson and Doris Day did so many movies together? It worked.

David Fincher is in talks to direct. This makes me very happy. In my last fantasy casting post I mentioned that I imagined him directing The Great Gatsby. I doubt he’ll be able to do it, though: He’s set to direct 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and The Girl Who Played with Fire.

Gillian Flynn is a hot commodity right now. Her two other books (which were on bestseller lists the same time as Gone Girl) will also be adapted into movies. Amy Adams will be starring in Dark Places with Gilled Paquet-Brenner directing while Jason Blum of Blumhouse will produce Sharp Objects.

Photo: Credit: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

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