EXCLUSIVE: Jude Law, riding high on reviews for his performance as a foul-mouthed gangster in Dom Hemingway, is switching gears and will play literary titan Thomas Wolfe.
Law joins Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman on the drama that reunites his co-stars after The Railway Man. FilmNation handles international sales.
Former Donmar Warehouse artistic director Michael Grandage makes his feature directorial debut and production is set to commence on October 13. The film will shoot in the UK and US.
John Logan adapted the screenplay from A Scott Berg’s biography Max Perkins: Editor Of Genius, which chronicles the complex friendship between Wolfe and Perkins.
Firth will play Perkins. Michael Fassbender had been attached to play Wolfe, however the confirmation of Law adds impetus to what bears the hallmarks of becoming a potential awards prospect for the 2015-16 season.
Grandage and James Bierman of The Michael Grandage Company (MGC) are producing alongside Logan, with Tim Bevan on board as executive producer. Silver Reel is co-financing Genius and CAA represents US rights.
MGC developed the project with Logan and his production company Desert Wolf Productions. Grandage and Logan collaborated on the Tony-winning production of Red and worked together last year on the Olivier-nominated West End production of Peter And Alice starring Judi Dench and Ben Whishaw.
“We are thrilled to have assembled such an extraordinary team around us as we move forward with this project, and we can’t wait to begin filming,” said Grandage and Bierman.
Silver Reel’s investment slate includes Cannes Film Festival opener Grace Of Monaco starring Kidman, as well as The Railway Man and Under The Skin, which FilmNation sold internationally.
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