Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures has acquired the rights to the book “True American: Murder & Mercy in Texas” with Tom Hardy attached to star and Kathryn Bigelow on board to direct.
Pic is based on Anand Giridharadas book that tells the true story of Rais Uddin Bhuiyan, a Bangladesh Air Force officer who dreams of immigrating to America and working in technology. But days after 9/11, an avowed “American terrorist” named Mark Stroman, seeking revenge, walks into the Dallas minimart where Bhuiyan has found temporary work and shoots him, maiming and nearly killing him.
W.W. Norton & Company is publishing the book.
Hardy has received rave reviews for his one man show in the A24 film “Locke” and has a handful of films set to bow this year including the Fox Searchlight pic “The Drop” and the Summit crime drama “Child 44.” He is also set to star as Elton John in the biopic “Rocket Man” and the New Regency pic “Splinter Cell.”
Bigelow last directed the Oscar nominated “Zero Dark Thirty” for Sony and Annapurna. She is repped by CAA and Hardy is repped by CAA and United Agents.
CAA also reps Bhuiyan and Giridharadas with Giridharadas repped on the publishing side by Kneerim Williams and Bloom.
