Universal has optioned the rights to the FBI agent memoir “American Radical,” with “Mr. Robot” star Rami Malek and showrunner Sam Esmail attached to respectively star and direct.
“American Radical” was written by a Muslim FBI agent under the pseudonym Tamer Elnoury with Kevin Maurer, the author of the Osama bin Laden assassination account “No Easy Day.” Malek will star as Elnoury in a true story thriller about how the agent infiltrated an al-Qaeda-controlled terrorist cell.
In addition to directing, Esmail will produce through his banner Esmail Corp. alongside Chad Hamilton of Anonymous Content, who also served as a producer on “Mr. Robot.” Executive Vice President of Production Mark Sourian and Creative Executive Lexi Barta will oversee for Universal.
Malek will appear in cinemas in August alongside Charlie Hunnam in a remake of the classic biographical drama “Papillon,” and will star as famed Queen singer Freddie Mercury this fall in the biopic “Bohemian Rhapsody.” He is repped by WME, Brillstein Entertainment and Sloane, Offer, Weber and Dern.
Esmail is repped by CAA, Anonymous Content and McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP. WME repped the book deal.