Warner Bros. plans new Hornby adaptation

LOS ANGELES, May 3 (UPI) -- Warner Bros. has acquired screen rights to the new Nick Hornby novel "A Long Way Down," Daily Variety said Tuesday.

Hornby's books "High Fidelity," "About a Boy" and "Fever Pitch" have already been adapted by Hollywood. "A Long Way Down" will be produced by a team that includes Oscar-nominated actor Johnny Depp, but Variety said at this point Depp is not committed to appearing in the movie.

"This book is brimming with ... some of the most outstanding characters I've ever had the pleasure of reading," Depp said. "The cinematic possibilities are extraordinary."

"A Long Way Down" -- which was published on Monday in England -- is about a group of people who meet on New Year's Eve and form a sort of family to help one another cope with difficult holiday-related emotions. The book is due in U.S. bookstores in June.