Fox 2000 on 'Jury' duty

Fox 2000 on 'Jury' duty


Variety.com


October 3, 2007


by MICHAEL FLEMING



In a preemptive deal, Fox 2000 has acquired rights to remake Granada-produced British miniseries ``The Jury,'' with Marc Forster directing and Beau Willimon writing the script.

The seven-figure deal includes rights and scripting fees.

The 2002 mini, scripted by Peter Morgan and directed by Pete Travis, revolved around the trial of a young Sikh student charged with killing a classmate tormenter. The drama dug into the lives of the jurors as they moved toward a verdict.

Pic will be produced by Forster, his Apparatus partner Brad Simpson, Management 360's Guymon Casady and Quentin Curtis. Exec producer is Rob Green of Granada, which owned the underlying rights.

Forster enlisted Willimon to write the script after reading his highly touted play, ``Farragut North.''

``The Jury'' is the latest Brit mini to finds its way to a major studio for screen treatment. Steven Soderbergh's ``Traffic'' was based on one, and Universal has ``State of Play,'' the drama based on the Paul Abbott-scripted mini. Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, Jason Bateman, Rachel McAdams, Helen Mirren and Robin Wright Penn will star for director Kevin Macdonald.

Forster, whose latest film, ``The Kite Runner,'' opens Nov. 2, is preparing to next direct the 22nd installment of the James Bond franchise with Daniel Craig.



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