Robert Redford announces next two projects

Published at 4:18 PM on January 28, 2008

By Nikki King

Robert Redford announced this weekend that he has decided to move forward with his film adaptation of A Walk in the Woods, a venture that has reportedly been on the books for a while.

Redford plans to star in the film as well as produce the project. Barry Levinson is slated to direct.

Bill Bryson’s bestselling novel of the same title recounts the adventures of Bryson and a friend from his native state Iowa as they attempt the Appalachian Trail, the legendary mountain pass that runs from Georgia to Maine. Bryson had just returned from spending 20 years in Britain at the onset of the journey, and the book is a delightful commentary on life back in the States.

“I don't know when I've read a book that I laughed so loud,” Redford told the Associated Press. “Also it's a chance to take a look at the country. The backdrop is pretty terrific, if you stop to think of all the visuals that are possible as they go along that trail.”

Following this project, Redford intends to produce a film about Jackie Robinson making it to the major leagues with the help of Branch Rickey, who propelled him beyond the racial barriers that existed in 1947 baseball.

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