Elle Fanning to Star in Neil Gaiman's 'How to Talk to Girls at Parties'

The ever brilliant author Neil Gaiman is known just as much for his short stories as he is for novels, and we've seen many of his works adapted to the big screen. Coraline, Stardust, Neverwhere (my personal favorite), and even his comics run on Sandman have either hit theaters or will in the future. That doesn't even count developing projects like the American Gods TV series or a film version of The Graveyard Book. Basically, Gaiman is a literary titan and Hollywood knows it, which is why his Hugo Award-nominated short How to Talk to Girls at Parties will be adapted next.

THR reports that Elle Fanning will take the lead in the film, to be directed by John Cameron Mitchell. It's an interesting move for Mitchell who has impressed with character films like Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Shortbus, and Rabbit Hole. 'How to Talk to Girls' is a sci-fi story about two high school boys, one shy the other a little more confident, who talk to three strange girls at a party only to learn they're not not your average females. Mitchell will co-write the script with Philippa Goslett and expand the short into a love story by having Fanning's extraterrestrial character exploring London with a schoolboy and punk musician. So kind of like a comedic Under the Skin?

Fanning can be seen in theaters now in Maleficent.If you're interested in reading How to Talk to Girls at Parties in its entirety, just check out Gaiman's official site.