True American (Ruffalo, Nanjiani, Adams)

[kvz5]

Kathryn Bigelow, Tom Hardy Tackling Adaptation of 'True American' Book

Annapurna Pictures has won a hotly-contested bidding war to pick up the screen rights to the book by Anand Giridharadas.

Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures has come out on top of a heated bidding war to pick up the screen rights to The True American: Murder and Mercy in Texas by Anand Giridharadas in a package that sees Kathryn Bigelow on board to direct and produce.

The adaptation also comes with Tom Hardy attached to star in what is planned to be a searing drama of loss and redemption.

True American hit the studios and movie companies mid-last week and by Friday started to generate considerable heat, with offers coming from Warner Bros., New Regency and other companies. CAA packaged the project and divided it up for top producers and directors.

The deal now reteams Annapurna with Bigelow, who directed Zero Dark Thirty, the 2012 Oscar-nominated drama that the company produced and financed.

No writer is attached at this stage.

The book, which hit stores on May 5, does not the have the easiest topic to sell to studios, which would much rather see packages with capes or creatures, but it is compelling and attracted top talent.

It tells the true story of Raisuddin Bhuiyan, a Bangladeshi who had recently immigrated to the U.S. and was working in a mini-mart when 9/11 happened. In the days after the terror attacks, Mark Stroman, going on what he considered a patriotic spree, shot Bhuiyan and workers at other gas stations. Two other victims died but Buiyan lived. Stroman, meanwhile, got the death penalty.

Ten years later, in an effort to find healing, Bhuiyan wrestled a series of obstacles in order to meet his shooter and publicly forgive him. He then fought the state and the governor to have Stroman’s life spared.

Hardy is currently on screen with Locke, the well-reviewed Steven Knight drama that sees him in a car for the entire movie. He has several movies in the can, including the crime thriller Child 44 and Mad Max: Fury Road.

He is repped by CAA, Sloane Offer and United Agents. Bigelow is repped by CAA and Kinsella Weitzman.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/kathryn-bigelow-tom-hardy-tackling-702776

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Role of a lifetime for Hardy.

 

[747]

This seems veeeeery promising. The story seems as perfect for Bigelow as the role does for Hardy.

 

[flickchick85]

This sounds like it could be great, as long as they get a good writer. I look forward to seeing who they cast in the other lead role as well.

 

[Schlosser85]

So Hardy is playing the shooter Stroman?

 

[redhawk23]

Presumably.

This is the real Stroman.

 

[Schlosser85]

The number of projects Hardy has in the works is nuts.

 

[Pink Ranger]

I hope they keep the title, it is an important one. I imagine they will be under pressure to change it.

 

[Blitzkrieg Bop]

Oh yeah, the title will most certainly be changed.

 

[CrypticOne]

Can't wait to see this! Sure to be great.

 

[James.B]

Amy Adams in Talks to Star in Annapurna’s ‘True American’

Amy Adams is in talks to star in the upcoming Annapurna Pictures drama “The True American,” sources tell Variety.

Insiders close to the situation say a deal has not yet closed and scheduling is still being worked out, specifically regarding her promotion efforts on her upcoming HBO limited series “Sharp Objects,” but that Adams wants this as her next film project. Adams is also a producer on “Sharp Objects” and considers the project a high priority, making her promotion on the HBO project a bigger commitment than a usual tour.

”Jackie” helmer Pablo Larrain is on board to direct, and Mark Ruffalo and Kumail Nanjiani are also in talks to co-star with Adams.

With production on “Sharp Objects” and the upcoming Dick Cheney pic “Backseat” coming to a close, Adams had been weighing several projects, but it had always seemed like “The True American” was the frontrunner to be her next commitment.

Based on the nonfiction book by Anand Giridharadas, “The True American” is set in Texas in the days following the 9/11 attacks. It follows Rais Bhuiyan, a Muslim immigrant and Bangladesh Air Force veteran who narrowly survived a killing spree that took the lives of two other immigrants. Employed at a Dallas-area convenience store as he established himself in America, Bhuiyan worked to have his attacker, self-proclaimed “Arab slayer” Mark Stroman, spared from execution.

Annapurna has been developing the film for some time, and at one point, Kathryn Bigelow was on board to direct and Tom Hardy was attached to star. After Bigelow left to direct “Detroit,” the project was in flux until Larrain’s attachment last April.

Annapurna topper Megan Ellison, Bigelow, Matthew Budman, and Juan de Dios Larrain will produce.

http://variety.com/2018/film/news/amy-adams-annapurnas-true-american-1202734572/amp/?__twitter_impression=true

 

[Fallen Angel]

Oh wow I heard about this movie last year. I love the Amy/ Larrain combo.

 

[Schlosser85]

Tom Hardy is about to Guillermo Del Toro levels of “ill believe he’s in a movie when I’m watching it in the theater”.

 

[Fallen Angel]

Deadline saying it's heading to Amazon Studios not Annapurna for distribution and they hope to start filming this spring.

Pablo Larrain’s #TheTrueAmerican talks are with Amazon, not Annapurna http://deadline.com/2018/03/pablo-larrain-the-true-american-amazon-studios-annapurna-amy-adams-mark-ruffalo-1202352480/ …