John Cameron Mitchell takes on Fox Searchlight’s Rabbit Hole

John Cameron Mitchell might have followed in a pattern that occurs to many filmmakers who make a splash with their directorial debut. Hedwig and the Angry Inch was the mega hit that it was, taking on a life of its own (it became a classic in parts of Asia). He then fielded plenty of offers for his sophomore film, and all that wait gave us the unsatisfying experiment known as Shortbus. If the theory proves right, his third film will be his biggest contribution to cinema.

Nicole Kidman was already signed onto Rabbit Hole, meaning that Mitchell is embarking on a project that might already have a script in place. Production Weekly reports that to Aaron Eckhart has also joined the pic based on David Lindsay-Abaire’s Broadway play. The story concerns a happily married couple whose lives are disrupted after an unexpected tragedy (the death of their four year-old son) and the intensely emotional, redemptive journey they must undertake to regain happiness. Expect Mitchell to use a hand-held strategy to get into the emotional core of what that may look like.