On the eve of the Cannes Film Festival, Lionsgate has purchased U.S. rights to “Genius,” which stars Jude Law as acclaimed author Thomas Wolfe and Colin Firth as his editor Max Perkins, TheWrap has learned.
Michael Grandage directed the film, which has awards aspirations and co-stars Nicole Kidman, Laura Linney, Guy Pearce and “The Affair” star Dominic West.
Riverstone Pictures and Pinewood Pictures co-financed “Genius,” which is based on “Max Perkins: Editor of a Genius,” a book by A. Scott Berg that was adapted by John Logan. The story follows the unique friendship shared by Wolfe and Perkins.
Grandage and Logan produced the film with James Bierman, while executive producers included Berg, James J. Bagley, Tim Bevan, Nik Bower, Steve Christian, Ivan Dunleavy, Arielle Tepper Madover and Deepak Nayar.
FilmNation is handling international sales at Cannes, and CAA negotiated the Lionsgate deal on behalf of the filmmakers.