Lionsgate buys U.S. rights to “Genius,” movie about Asheville’s Thomas Wolfe

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Lionsgate has purchased the U.S. rights to the big Hollywood film Genius, which tells the story of the friendship between writer Thomas Wolfe of Asheville and his star editor, Max Perkins. The movie stars Jude Law as Wolfe, Colin Firth as Perkins and co-stars Nicole Kidman, Laura Linney, Guy Pearce and Dominic West.

Last summer, Law spent a couple of days in Asheville to learn more about Wolfe. Law visited Pack Memorial Library, Riverside Cemetery, the Thomas Wolfe state historic site and other locations.

From TheWrap.com:

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.

From Deadline.com:

Grandage, the Tony-winning director whose stage credits include Frost/Nixon, directed John Logan’s adaptation of the A. Scott Berg book Max Perkins: Editor of a Genius. Genius tells the story of a life changing friendship that developed between literary lion Thomas Wolfe (Law) and Perkins (Firth), the respected literary editor.