Block to pen film screenplay? Wait and see

The setup seemed so cool, and the Hong Kong media certainly had a field day with the news that Lawrence Block would be writing a screenplay based on one of his novels for Asian film star Tony Leung Chiu-wai — especially because said star confirmed it last week:

“I started reading (his) detective stories from more than 10 years ago.

I’ve always wanted to change it and make it into a film based in

Southeast Asia,” Leung said Tuesday.

The screen heart-throb said he met with the author last year while he

was in New York and asked Block, who has written more than 50 books, to

adapt one of his books into a screenplay.

“I asked whether he could write me a screenplay,” Leung told AFP in an interview. “He’s now writing it for me.”

Only problem is, none of the stories bothered to include Block’s take on the whole thing. When reached by email, he said this: “There’s

more conjecture and speculation in the Chinese entertainment media than

you could shake a chopstick at, and I’ve learned not to comment on any

of it.”

And while his non-comment doesn’t shoot down the prospect by any means, a little tempering might be in order. This is the movie business, after all.