Maybe we’re blinded by our romantic affection for a dying trade, but The Playlist loves nothing more than a good newspaper movie; “All The President’s Men” and “His Girl Friday” are clearly some of the greatest movies ever made, while we can even find a little something to enjoy in the half-baked likes of “Shattered Glass” and Ron Howard’s “The Paper.” Brad Pitt clearly shares some of our taste, as he came close to starring in last year’s “State of Play” (which was much better at the newsroom stuff than at the thriller elements), and his company Plan B has now picked up the rights to Tom Rachman’s novel “The Imperfectionists.”
The book, which was published this spring to some outstanding reviews, focuses on the eccentric staff of an international newspaper based in Rome, including a lazy obituaries writer, an egotistical war reporter and a publisher more interested in his dog than in his paper. Pitt’s company has teamed with Reliance to pick up the rights after their usual home Paramount turned it down. There’s no talent attached yet, but it sounds like it could be a promising one.
One recent Plan B acquisition that does appear to be moving forward is an adaptation of Jonathan Lethem’s novel “Fortress of Solitude,” a period-set Bildungsroman that follows two kids in Brooklyn who discover a magic ring that bestows superpowers on its wearer as they take in the early days of graffiti and a burnt-out soul singer based heavily on Marvin Gaye. We’ve got a lot of affection for the book, a flawed but hugely ambitious work, and it’s long seemed ripe for adaptation — indeed, “Maria Full Of Grace” helmer Joshua Marston was long-attached, but his option appears to have lapsed.
Plan B picked it up recently and have set Alfonso Gomez-Rejon to make his feature debut as writer and director. Gomez-Rejon served as second unit director on “State of Play” and “Babel,” and recently directed an episode of “Glee.” It’s unknown if Pitt would take a role in either project, although he’d seem much better suited to “The Imperfectionists” somehow. Either way, he’s maintained an interesting, diverse taste in projects, and that continues to be displayed here. [Deadline]