5 Ways David Fincher Could Change 'The Girl Who Played With Fire'

How might the American adaptation differ from the book?

For a while, a follow-up to the American adaptation of The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo appeared to be dead in the water. However, recent comments made by director David Fincher and information leaked in the Sony Pictures hack indicate that it's not pushing up daises just yet.

In September, Fincher commented on the status of The Girl Who Played With Fire, saying, "I think because it [Sony] already has spent millions of dollars on the rights and the script so it will result in something. The script that we now have a huge potential, I can reveal as much as it is extremely different from the book."

While there's no concrete action being taken on the movie and we don't even know if Fincher is in line to direct, that glimmer of hope means it's not entirely a waste of time to speculate. So, let's speculate!

What changes could they have made to result in a script that is "extremely different from the book"? Let's take a look at five possible alterations:

1. Cut Lisbeth's trip to the Caribbean

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In the opening pages of The Girl Who Played With Fire, we find Lisbeth in the Caribbean, the last stop on her year-long absence from Sweden. The scenes set abroad have little to do with the overall plot of the book, which really doesn't kick in until she's back on Swedish soil.

In the Caribbean, Lisbeth attacks a man who plots to kill his wife for her inheritance, leaving him to die in a hurricane. This may be too "superhero" for a David Fincher adaptation. Her affair with a 16-year-old boy probably wouldn't go over well with American audiences, either. It may be best to cut the Caribbean scenes completely and join Lisbeth just as she's returning from Sweden, using other methods to convey that she's been away for a year.

What the Swedish version did: The theatrical version all but cut out Lisbeth's time in Sweden, showing her in the sunny locale only briefly. In fact, she's back in Sweden by the movie's five minute mark. We see a bit more in the extended version of the movie, including a quick appearance by the 16-year-old boy.

2. Cut the "From Russia With Love" subplot

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Dag Svensson and Mia Bergman bring Millenium a sex trafficking exposé, "From Russia With Love." Before it can be published, they're murdered. Lisbeth is implicated in the murders, putting her in the police's crosshairs.

The ensuing investigation leads Lisbeth and Mikael to Zala, a man heavily involved in the industry. We eventually learn that Zala is Lisbeth's father.

Even though the subject of sex trafficking is more than worth David Fincher's time, Dag, Mia and their exposé aren't essential to the plot.

Lisbeth's guardian Nils Bjurman is also murdered in connection to Zala, and Lisbeth is suspected of committing that as well. Bjurman's murder alone would be enough to kickstart the manhunt and media frenzy, providing Blomkvist and Millenium magazine with a trail to Zala through Lisbeth's past.

What the Swedish version did: Dag and Mia barely existed in the theatrical version of the movie, so their deaths don't pack an emotional punch. Blomkvist and Lisbeth follow the sex trafficking trail to Zala, interrogating johns using decidedly different methods. Dag and Mia have more screen time in the extended version, but the exposé plot still feels superfluous.

3. Beef up Miriam Wu's role

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Miriam Wu mostly serves as Lisbeth's collateral damage in The Girl Who Played With Fire. Lisbeth inadvertently pulls Miriam into her mess when she gives her her apartment, bringing the police to her doorstep in the wake of the Dag, Mia and Bjurman murders.

Miriam is questioned by police, who are trying to dig up information on Lisbeth. This leads to their dirty laundry being aired, the media sensationalizing their stories. She is later kidnapped by Lisbeth's brother Niedermann and is hospitalized after being rescued by Paolo Roberto, Lisbeth's former boxing coach.

Increasing Miriam's role in the story would help the audience sympathize with her more when she's dragged into Lisbeth's mess. Fincher could show more of her connection to Lisbeth, exploring their relationship in order to distinguish the truth from the lies being circulated in the media.

What the Swedish version did: The media circus surrounding Lisbeth barely exists in the theatrical version and isn't fleshed out much more in the extended version. Much of Miriam's suffering is physical, her screen time dominated by her kidnapping.

4. Put more focus on "All the Evil"

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Alexander Zalachenko is Lisbeth's father, evil to the core and scarred from her childhood attempt to burn him alive. He is a Russian defector under political asylum in Sweden with a hand in the sex trafficking trade. His mistreatment of Lisbeth, her twin sister and their mother leads to "All the Evil", the events that have made Lisbeth into who she is today.

Hollywood loves exploring daddy issues, and Lisbeth's takes the cake. Increasing the focus on Lisbeth's childhood would make it clear who we're dealing with in Zala. When it's revealed that he had a hand in the murders Lisbeth is accused of, it will pack an even greater emotional punch.

What the Swedish version did: "All the Evil" is referenced in quick flashbacks in the theatrical and extended versions, but the police investigation into Lisbeth is limited, so her past doesn't get as full of an airing as it gets in the book.

5. Reunite Lisbeth and Blomkvist sooner

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Lisbeth and Mikael are apart for most of The Girl Who Played With Fire, as per Lisbeth's wishes. They finally meet again at the end, Blomkvist finding her after she narrowly survives being buried alive by Zala.

The physical separation of Lisbeth and Mikael allows them to go on their separate paths towards Zalachenko, but is it necessary? Odds are, the American adaptation will be tempted to reunite them on screen much earlier.

This wouldn't necessarily erase the emotional gulf between them, which exists for a reason. Even if they're on screen together, Lisbeth wouldn't be keen on sticking around Blomkvist for any extended period, further emphasizing the grudge she's developed.

What the Swedish version did: Both the theatrical and extended versions stuck to the book on this one, keeping the two physically separated until the very end.