Anyone who doubts that George Clooney is one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood ought to look at the man's upcoming slate. He is gearing up to direct the film "The Ides of March" and also is attached to star in Alfonso Cuaron's new sci-fi movie "Gravity" and has now added yet another project to the mix.
According to Variety Clooney is attached to star while Fox 2000 have acquired the film rights to serial-killer thriller "The Monster of Florence".
The novel, which the film will be based on, was released in 2008 and written by Douglas Preston ("The Cabinet of Curiosities," "The Relic") and Mario Spezi. The story focuses on a serial killer who carried out 16 murders between 1968 and 1985 in Florence, Italy. The perpetrators were never caught.
Interestingly, the case was one of the inspirations for a character in the 1999 novel Hannibal by Thomas Harris.
Writers Chris McQuarrie and Nathan Alexander are taking on the script while Clooney, Grant Heslov, Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen are producing. Tom Cruise had originally optioned the rights and was attached to produce and possibly star in the project at United Artists back in 2008.
The case sounds fascinating and the fact that McQuarrie is taking on the script is only a positive for this project. To me McQuarrie wrote one of the best scripts in recent memory when he did "The Usual Suspects" back in the '90s, so any film he works on has the chance to be something special.
Clooney on the other hand can play any role he likes and make it look easy. I recently watched "Syriana" again for the first time since I saw it in theaters and I was marveled by Clooney's performance. I remember it being Academy Award worthy, but after watching it again I realize that it was nothing short of phenomenal. On a side note I think "Syriana" was grossly overlooked and underrated and is truly an excellent, albeit complicated film.
"The Monster of Florence" most likely will shoot in the fall.
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