It is not uncommon to hear people talking about “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.” Since the English publication of Stieg Larsson’s “Millenium Series” in 2008 and the release of three Swedish movies adapted from the series in March, “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” generated much buzz in American pop culture. Sony Pictures noticed the buzz and is planning to release an English-language adaptation of the first installment in Dec. 2011.

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” is a suspenseful crime novel with an old-school detective feel. Larsson weaves a quilt of details and historical facts that lead to the dramatic uncovering of a heinous crime, taking on a tone that this crime could be relevant outside the world of fiction.

Readers can see Larsson’s life story and professional background as a journalist reflected in the way his novels were written. Larsson was a journalist involved in politics, taking a position against racism and right-wing fascism. He helped found the expo-foundation in Sweden, exposing Neo-Nazi activity. He went on to become editor in chief of Expo magazine.

“The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” includes several references to Swedish politics and Neo-Nazi presence in its culture. The fact Larsson had to defend himself against rightwing violence during the last 15 years of his life poses a question: how much of his book is fiction and how much is based on people he encountered in his life?

Larsson unexpectedly died of a heart attack in 2004 and never saw his books published. After Larsson’s death, all three novels in the “Millenium Series” were published simultaneously. Music Box Films released all the film adaptations of the books in 2009.

The film version of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo” arrived in the U.S. as a foreign film with subtitles this year. The movie eliminates the internal dialogue of Larsson’s characters giving it a tone more like that of a crime drama where the viewer has to deduce the characters’ emotions from the presented facts. Although less emotionally involved than the book, the foreign cinematography adds an artsy feel to the story.

Whether or not Hollywood needs its own film version of the series has emerged as a subject of debate in the media. In spite of the debate, Sony set a release date for the English-language film and cast roles for the two main characters. The Swedish film uses understated characters that are believable as real people and although it includes brutal action scenes, none of the action is heightened to the point that it could not be witnessed in everyday life.

In the tradition of Hollywood films, the American version will probably include more action and has the potential to introduce the characters as prominent pop icons. “No matter how serious Fincher [American movie director] is about making a popular work of thriller art, my hunch is that ‘The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo’ is going to be marketed as a fashion revolution, with Mara’s image as Lisbeth displayed in media around the globe as a new kind of sullen, razory, waif-rebel icon,” Owen Gleiberman said in his article for Entertainment Weekly.

Seeing the series has already gained considerable popularity, the American versions of Larsson’s characters could serve as the new Bella Swan and Edward Cullen for fans of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo.”