EXCLUSIVE: Elizabeth Allen Rosenbaum and Elizabeth Gabler are looking to reunite as Deadline is hearing Rosenbaum is coming on to direct an adaptation of of Jessica Anya Blau’s bestselling coming-of-age novel Mary Jane for Sony and Gabler’s 3000 Pictures. Rosenbaum and Gabler along with Erin Siminoff, who is also at 3000 Pictures, worked together on Aquamarine and Ramona and Beezus for Fox 2000. Blau will adapt the script.

The novel tells a coming-of-age story of an innocent teenager from a very conservative 1970’s Baltimore family, Mary Jane gets a summer job babysitting, only to find out that her employer is a progressive psychologist who’s secretly treating a rock star and his superstar wife for rehab at his home.  As Mary Jane is welcomed into this eccentric household, and as she observes the two mega-stars’ tumultuous, but intensely passionate relationship, she becomes caught between the traditional lifestyle she’s always known, and the dazzling new world she’s only just realized is possible.

Mariner, an imprint of HarperCollins, published the book in May, 2021.  Gabler, Siminoff and Aislinn Dunster are overseeing the project for the studio.

Rosenbaum is coming off her hit Netflix pic Purpler Hearts, which became the 2nd biggest opening on Netflix of 2022 spending 6 weeks in the top 10s and became the number 7 most watched movie for Netflix of all time. Given that Purpler Hearts and this project have strong musical elements, Rosenbaum will oversee an extensive original soundtrack for the fictitious 1970’s rock band.

Besides Purple Hearts, the Emmy winning and DGA-nominated director also directed the original musical Sneakerella for Disney Plus, for which she won an Emmy.  The movie was also nominated for 10 additional Emmys, including “Best Original Song.”

At the helm of over 50 hours of content for major networks and studios, Rosenbaum has directed hit shows such as Dead To Me, Empire, Gossip Girl, Why Women Kill, The Exorcist, All American, The Resident, and Vampire Diaries. She has directed and produced six television pilots all of which were picked up to series, including The Kicks for Amazon, BH90210 (CBS/Fox), and Pretty Little Liars: The Perfectionists (Warner Horizon/ Freeform). In 2017, she received a DGA Award nomination for “Outstanding Direction” for her work on the pilot for Amazon’s The Kicks. Her show, Relationship Status, starring Milo Ventimiglia, was an official selection for the Tribeca Film Festival and was nominated for two Daytime Emmys.

Blau’s novels also include Drinking Closer To Home, The Wonder Bread Summer, and the best-selling, The Summer Of Naked Swim Parties.

Rosenbaum is represented by WME and Rob Goldman and Joel McKuin at McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP. Blau is represented by CAA and Gail Hochman at Brandt & Hochman.