Meryl Streep to Join THE GIVER Movie as 'Chief Elder'?

Deadline.com reports that Meryl Streep is in talks to join Jeff Bridges in the upcoming film adaptation of Lois Lowry's award-winning, YA novel THE GIVER, directed by Phil Noyce.

Read the original report here.

Streep will play the "chief elder", the leader of an authoritarian governing body that keeps order in a so-called utopian society. THE GIVER centers on a boy (Brenton Thwaites) chosen to be the society's next "Receiver" -- the one member of the population allowed to absorb the memories, emotions and knowledge of generations before the current regime, which is ruled by the concept of "sameness". Bridges plays the "Giver", the man who passes these memories to the boy, and in doing so, fosters a rebellion.

Streep's upcoming projects include Rob Marshall's film adaptation of Stephen Sondheim's musical Into the Woods, The Homesman, and August: Osage County and her just-announced role in The Good House. Her past credits include Hope Springs, The Iron Lady, It's Complicated, Julie & Julia, Doubt, Mamma Mia!, The Devil Wears Prada, The Hours and more.

Streep has appeared on Broadway in Happy End, The Cherry Orchard, Secret Service, and Trelawny of the Wells, as well as off-Broadway's Wonderland in Concert and Alice in Concert.

THE GIVER is set to begin filming two months from now in South Africa.

Photo Credit: Picture Perfect / Everett Collection / Rex USA