Author Nicholas Sparks, who has made millions by using the same formula over and over and over again in books-turned-movies like “The Last Song,” “Dear John,” “The Notebook” and “Nights In Rodanthe” is tired of writing pithy dialogue for romantic dramas and instead has written pithy dialogue for a thriller.
Hollywood apparently can’t contain themselves as Sparks has actually written a thriller called “Safe Haven,” causing agents to fall all over themselves trying to acquire the rights. The story revolves around a mysterious young woman carrying a dark secret, who embarks on a relationship with a widowed man with two kids, but when her past begins to catch up with her, she realizes “that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.” So it’s pretty much your standard Nicholas Sparks story anyway. Here’s the synopsis from his website:
When a mysterious young woman named Katie appears in the small North Carolina town of Southport, her sudden arrival raises questions about her past. Beautiful yet self-effacing, Katie seems determined to avoid forming personal ties until a series of events draws her into two reluctant relationships: one with Alex, a widowed store owner with a kind heart and two young children; and another with her plainspoken single neighbor, Jo. Despite her reservations, Katie slowly begins to let down her guard, putting down roots in the close-knit community and becoming increasingly attached to Alex and his family.
But even as Katie begins to fall in love, she struggles with the dark secret that still haunts and terrifies her . . . a past that set her on a fearful, shattering journey across the country, to the sheltered oasis of Southport. With Jo’s empathic and stubborn support, Katie eventually realizes that she must choose between a life of transient safety and one of riskier rewards . . . and that in the darkest hour, love is the only true safe haven.
The project is being presented to Sony, Fox, Warner Bros. and Disney all who would like a taste of some of the easy profits these films tend to generate. This year “Dear John” has brought in $80 million and “The Last Song” $63 million on budgets of $25 and $20 million respectively. Not bad. We certainly don’t care for these films, but clearly, a lot of other people do.