Todd Solondz is an indie film icon whose weirdness is matched perhaps only by Harmony Korine or Crispin Glover. Solondz’s breakout film was Welcome To The Dollhouse, starring Heather Matarrazzo as the unfortunate/fabulous Dawn Wiener, one of the all-time memorable indie movie characters. Now Solondz is putting together a sort-of sequel to Dollhouse, and I’m told they wanted a real “Heather Matarrazzo type,” so naturally they cast Greta Gerwig. Man, the movie business is a real asshole.
Indie starlings Julie Delpy and Greta Gerwig are in discussions to star in the movie, which Solondz had been developing quietly under the radar but now has a new leash on life [Editor’s Note]: Megan Ellison and her Annapurna production shingle have come on board to produce and finance with Christine Vachon and her banner Killer Films also on board to produce.
Of course, because it’s Solondz, it’s not exactly a sequel, and from the sound of the synopsis, it seems Dawn “Wiener Dog” Wiener may have been turned into some kind of magical wiener dog. Which is the title of the sequel, actually, Wiener-Dog.
The script tells several stories featuring people who find their life inspired or changed by one particular dachshund, who seems to be spreading comfort and joy. [THR]
Well sure. Here’s Heather Matarrazzo today, in case you were curious:
I just wish Philip Seymour Hoffman was still alive to star in a sequel to Solondz’s Happiness, featuring a good half of my all-time favorite Hoffman line reads.