2 months ago
EXCLUSIVE: Lionsgate has won a seven-studio bidding warfare for The Correspondent, a characteristic package based connected nan New York Times bestseller by Virginia Evans that has Jane Fonda attached to prima and nutrient alongside Todd Lieberman via his Hidden Pictures.
Published by Crown past April, Evans’ breakout debut The Correspondent — which has spent 17 weeks connected the New York Times Best Sellers database — centers connected nan unforgettable Sybil Van Antwerp, a sharp-witted, fiercely opinionated, retired lawyer who has agelong utilized letters to enforce bid connected a analyzable world — penning to friends, family, literate icons, and 1 elusive recipient whose connection she has ne'er sent. But erstwhile an unexpected missive from her past resurfaces, Sybil is forced to face a long-buried section of grief, regret, and unresolved guilt.
Cat Vasko is connected committee to book nan characteristic return and will exec nutrient alongside writer Evans. Chelsea Kujawa and Pavan Kalidindi will oversee nan task for Lionsgate, pinch Carly Kleinbart Elter and Aydan Cohen overseeing for Hidden Pictures. Dan Freedman negotiated nan woody connected behalf of nan studio.
Erin Westerman, president, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said, “We could not beryllium much honored that Virginia, Jane, and Cat person chosen america to beryllium their workplace partner connected this project. This book said to truthful galore group connected our squad who recovered Sybil’s communicative and characteristic profoundly moving, and we judge Jane, Virginia, and Cat responded to nan genuine enthusiasm and individual touch that we bring. And there’s nary 1 amended to shepherd nan task than our friend Todd Lieberman astatine Hidden Pictures, who alongside his workfellow Carly Elter produced different successful book-to-screen adjustment in The Housemaid. This is simply a cleanable team—we’re thrilled to person won nan spot of all—and we can’t hold to get started.”
Lieberman added, “This book is simply a phenomenon. To beryllium invited successful alongside nan fable Jane Fonda, pinch my Lionsgate partners and Cat, is simply a thrilling honor—and we each can’t hold to person moviegoers acquisition nan aforesaid catharsis that truthful galore book readers already have.”
A two-time Oscar victor and seven-time nominee, Fonda has astir precocious starred successful films including 80 for Brady, Book Club: The Next Chapter, and nan DreamWorks animation Ruby Gillman: Teenage Kraken. She is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum.
Formerly a consulting shaper connected Secret Invasion, nan Marvel bid for Disney+, Vasko is besides repped by CAA and Untitled.
Lieberman’s Hidden Pictures is riding precocious pursuing nan occurrence of The Housemaid, nan Lionsgate thriller based connected Freida McFadden’s novel. Starring Sydney Sweeney, Amanda Seyfried and Brandon Sklenar, nan movie was released connected December 19, grossing complete $395M worldwide and quickly spawning a sequel. Hidden Pictures is besides down War Machine, Netflix’s sci-fi actioner starring Alan Ritchson, which debuted astatine #1 and has spent 2 weeks successful nan Top 10, pinch 44.4M views this week. Both Lieberman and his accumulation banner are repped by WME and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole.
