CANNES: eOne Picks Ups Bryan Cranston Starrer ‘Trumbo’

LONDON — Entertainment One has picked up international rights to “Trumbo,” the story of blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo. “Breaking Bad” star Bryan Cranston will play Trumbo while Helen Mirren (“The Queen”) will co-star as his nemesis Hedda Hopper.

Michael London’s Groundswell Prods. produces in association with Shivani Rawat and Nimitt Mankad, through Shiv Hans Pictures.

eOne Films Intl. will handle sales of the film in all territories outside of the U.K., Canada and Australia/New Zealand, where the company has prebought the rights ahead of Cannes and plans to distribute directly.

The screenplay was penned by television writer John McNamara, who makes his feature debut. Jay Roach, best known for the “Austin Powers” and “Meet the Parents” franchises, will direct. Michael London, Janice Williams, Nimitt Mankad, Shivani Rawat, Monica Levinson, Kevin Brown and John McNamara will serve as producers, alongside Kelly Mullen, who exec produces.

Pic is based on the true story of screenwriter Dalton Trumbo, who in the 1930s was the highest paid screenwriter in the world. As Cold War paranoia took hold in the U.S., he was dragged in front of the House Committee on Un-American Activities, and, when he refused to co-operate, was sent to prison. After his release, Trumbo became Hollywood’s most prolific blacklisted writer, secretly writing such classics as “Roman Holiday” and winning two Academy Awards under an alias. He eventually cleared his name and was publicly given credit for “Exodus” and “Spartacus.”

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