When the dark thriller The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo hit shelves in 2005 it was a smash success. People couldn't get enough of the edgy-but-damaged Lisbeth Salander and her mission to destroy the men who once tried to destroy her. Safe to say, it was a story well before its time…
This franchise, which includes the books The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornets' Nest, might be one of the most iconic and controversial franchises of the last decade.
The 2011 film based on the novel by Stieg Larsson and starring Rooney Mara as Lisbeth and Daniel Craig as journalist Mikael Blomkvist, put Mara on the map earning her a Best Actress Oscar nomination and A-lister status. However, as the years ticked by, a sequel to the film based on Larsson's second book in the franchise, The Girl Who Played with Fire, was stalled. Now, on Nov. 9, The Girl in the Spider's Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story is hitting the screen, penned by a new author and without Mara as Lisbeth.
While the heart of the story has always appealed to audiences across the globe, behind the scenes, the fight to get this franchise to American audiences has been one of great turmoil. From an intense casting process to a seven year wait for a sequel, the backstory of this franchise may be even more interesting than the gritty noir movie itself.
The Girl in the Spider's Web: A New Dragon Tattoo Story is in theaters now.