‘Queen of Kentucky’ Movie in the Works With David Permut
David Permut’s Permut Presentations and Unbridled Films are developing a movie version of “The Queen of Kentucky,” based on Alecia Whitaker’s young adult novel.
Katie Ford, writer of Sandra Bullock’s “Miss Congeniality” and co-creator of NBC’s new sitcom “Working the Engles,” will adapt the novel. Permut will produce with Unbridled Film’s Merry-Kay Poe and Permut Presentation’s Chris Mangano exec producing.
Ford and Permut previously teamed on the Lifetime TV movie “Prayers for Bobby.”
“The Queen of Kentucky,” published in 2012, centers on a 14-year-old from a family farm in Kentucky who moves from her small rural school to the public high school, where she trades in her blue jeans for “sophisticated” clothes and changes her name from Ricki Jo to Ericka — and begins to forget who she truly is.
Permut recently sold the domestic rights to IFC of “Match,” starring Patrick Stewart, and is in pre-production on “I Am Chippendales” with Alan Ball directing from his screenplay. He’s also come on board a “War of the Roses” sequel.
Larry Kopeikin represented Unbridled Films and Permut. Jonathan E. Shikora represented Ford.
Related stories
'War of the Roses: The Children' Sequel Gaining Momentum (EXCLUSIVE)
Dan Marino Producing Biopic on Iraq Vet Who Became College Football Star (EXCLUSIVE)
Chippendales Movie Set for February as Permut, Sentinel Team Up (EXCLUSIVE)
Get more from Variety and Variety411: Follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Newsletter