Author James Sallis, who wrote the novel Drive, which inspired the Ryan Gosling/Nicolas Winding Refn film, has announced that his sequel Driven will also be adapted for the big screen.
In stores now, Driven picks up “seven years after the events of “Drive” and our hero is now living in Phoenix under the name Paul West, and he’s engaged to be married. However, when two goons attack him and his fiancée, leaving her dead, Driver is forced to face his past and seek vengeance.”
“He is trying to suppress the violence – but the sequel shows the process of him accepting that this is who he is. He tries to become a normal person and re-invents himself. After his fiancée is killed, the violence is unleashed again,” Sallis explained.
“It was difficult not to visualise Ryan Gosling playing the role when I wrote the sequel,” Sallis also said. “I think he really made the character his own. Of course, they made changes in the script – but it has the blood, heart and guts of the book – it feels like my film.”
In a recent interview with The Independent, Sallis stated that Driven “is in the movie pipeline.” Whether any of the key players will return is not known at this point but at least we know that steps are being taken to bring a Drive sequel to the big screen, which is fantastic news.
Drive was one of my favorite films last year and I’m a big fan of both Gosling and Refn. They already have a few upcoming projects that they’re working on together, Only God Forgives being one of them, and I’d love to see them reunite yet again for Driven.
To be honest, I couldn’t see Driven making it to the big screen without the two of them attached, or at least without Gosling attached. How could they recast The Driver? Gosling was perfect in the role and no one else would be able to play the part as well.
What do you think? Can you see Driven being made without Gosling and Refn?