According to The Hollywood Reporter, Susanne Bier, one of Denmark's most influential filmmakers, will direct Things We Lost in the Fire for DreamWorks. Oscar-winning director Sam Mendes (American Beauty) is producing through his production company Scamp Films. He brought Allan Loeb's spec script to DreamWorks this summer.

The story centers on a woman whose husband suddenly dies; she invites her husband's troubled best friend to live with her family, and as the friend turns his life around, he helps the grief-stricken family confront their loss.