'True' scribe Croner tackles 'Palos'
Anna Paquin eyed to star
The book, first published last year, is about the relationship between a teenage girl, Medina Mason, and her troubled twin brother, Jim, a gifted surfer. Inspired by her sibling's example, Medina takes up surfing in order to avoid her dysfunctional family and snooty friends in the wealthy Californian community of Palos Verdes.
Novel, drawn partly from Nicholson's own experiences, is the writer's first. Croner will write the screenplay as a possible vehicle for Anna Paquin -- whom Industry manages -- although there is no deal in place for the teen thesp to star.
Industry's Julie Yorn, Julia Chasman and Eli Selden will produce, and Croner will co-produce. Industry will make the pic through the three-year, first-look deal that it inked with New Line in April.
Chasman brought the book into Industry prior to it being published. She and Yorn were drawn to Croner by her "Thing" screenplay.
The Industry execs then pitched the project to New Line Prods. prexy Michael De Luca and senior vice president of production Claire Rudnick Polstein. David Alper, senior vice president of business and legal affairs, negotiated on behalf of the studio.
Croner, repped by CAA, begins work on "Tribes" immediately. Her other screenplay credits include "Dexterity," from the novel by Douglas Bauer. Paramount and Mutual Film Co. are backing the romance, which has Michael Caton-Jones attached to direct. Croner has just completed another screenplay for Mutual, which she calls an "original historical drama."
Croner is repped by CAA.
