Sony Pictures have acquired North American distribution rights to George Clooney‘s upcoming political thriller “Ides Of March” with plans for a limited, Oscar-threatening December 2011 release before going wide in January 2012.
An adaptation of the critically acclaimed Broadway play “Farragut North,” the film is loosely based on the story of the primary run by Howard Dean and “follows the exploits of a twenty-something presidential campaign spinmeister/wunderkind named Stephen Myers, and the dirty pool he plays to get his candidate the nomination against a rival senator.” Pulling triple duties, Clooney also co-stars and co-wrote the film with Smoke House partner Grant Heslov (“The Men Who Stare At Goats“) and original playwright Beau Willimon.
Ryan Gosling recently scored the lead role of Myers after seeing it linked to the likes of Leonardo DiCaprio and Chris Pine with Clooney playing the aforementioned rival senator; Paul Giamatti will play a rival campaign manager, Marisa Tomei a New York Times reporter and Evan Rachel Wood as an intern for Myers’ campaign. It’s an immensely talented cast for an adaptation of some compelling source material — it’s really a no-brainer that an award season release has been set. Furthermore, the last time Clooney pulled triple duties as director, writer and co-star on a similar politically-astute tale (“Good Night And Good Luck“), he was nominated by the Academy in all three categories.
Exclusive Media Group (“The Way Back“) and Brian Oliver of Cross Creek Pictures will finance and co-produce the pic along with Clooney and partner Grant Heslov’s Smoke House Pictures and Leonardo DiCaprio‘s Appian Way shingle. Production will take place this February on location in Michigan and Ohio.
