Julia Roberts finds Happiness Sold Separately

If Will Smith’s latest attempt to scoop an Oscar with The Pursuit Of Happyness actually pays off, expect every star and their dog to be hunting down book adaptations featuring the word “Happy”. Looks like Captain Sensible’s autobiography, Happy Talking, might hit the big screen at last.

Still, Julia Roberts isn’t actually jumping on that bandwagon. She is, however, freshly attached to produce and consider starring in an adaptation of author Lolly Winston’s bestseller Happiness Sold Separately.

Ellie Parker writer/director Scott Coffey is pulling double duty again on the film version, which Fox Searchlight is funding. The book follows a suburban wife falling into despair as she discovers her husband is having an affair.

"I couldn't get Julia out of my head when I was reading Lolly's book,” Coffey told Variety. “Elinor is such a strong, complicated woman and bringing her to the screen required Julia's integrity, empathy, humour and legs." Um… Okay, stalker man.

He’ll have to wait, though – she’s busy working on Charlie’s Wilson’s War with Tom Hanks, so Happiness won’t kick off shooting until next year.

The Total Film team are made up of the finest minds in all of film journalism. They are: Editor Jane Crowther, Deputy Editor Matt Maytum, Reviews Ed Matthew Leyland, News Editor Jordan Farley, and Online Editor Emily Murray. Expect exclusive news, reviews, features, and more from the team behind the smarter movie magazine.