Paramount acquired movie rights to The Associate, Shia LeBeouf to play the title role

Dec 02, 2008

Paramount Pictures has picked up Shia LaBeouf to play the title role in their adaptation of John Grisham’s upcoming legal thriller “The Associate,” which the studio has just acquired rights to.

The novel won’t be published until January 2009, but that hasn’t stopped Paramount from snapping up the rights with Lorenzo di Bonaventura to produce.

LaBeouf will play a student who’s about to graduate from Yale Law School when he’s manipulated into accepting a job at a prestige law firm and given privileged information about a multi-billion dollar lawsuit.

Grisham’s longtime rep, David Gernert, shopped the book by giving it to four producers. While some felt that lessened the book’s chances to find a suitor in a tight marketplace, the strategy worked.

Paramount-based Di Bonaventura, who as an executive worked on the Grisham films “A Time to Kill” and “The Client,” received the book in the Middle East, where he and LaBeouf were shooting “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” There, they agreed to do it together.

Source(s): Empire · Variety

grisham fan said on Saturday May 23, 2009 01:43 AM:
Can’t wait. Very good book.
jason d. said on Tuesday December 22, 2009 11:30 AM:
Let’s hope that they do a rewrite of the ending in the screen play. How about Bennie is actually working for the same firm as Kyle in order to test his loyalty before they make him a partner.
Saygue Toeque said on Thursday January 28, 2010 06:34 PM:
Hello to who ever this may concern i am an aspiring actor and i am very familiar with the associate. I was looking on imdb.com and i was they were making a movie for the book months ago so since them i have been trying to reach out to anyone i can to audition for any role to get a shot at playing a character. I am independent so i don’t have a agent or any thing, just hoping someone can give me a shot. Thank you. God bless
Kyle McAvoy said on Friday February 12, 2010 04:10 AM:
It is so plain Bernie works for US Gov to get everything for less than both moron, greedy companies spend on lawsuit.
philip tekel said on Thursday April 08, 2010 08:03 PM:
Please – please let me know when there is a follow up on the Associate. I can’t wait.
Thank you.
Philip
Donato said on Friday September 17, 2010 03:08 PM:
Kyle’s the man and you know that, but he should of had a gun but maybe that’s just me. Kyle is a true gangsta. And bernie was def with the pentagon.
Chris said on Tuesday November 02, 2010 05:50 PM:
Grisham has a couple story lines that are still hanging out there at the conclusion of the story. Great book, but the end left me wanting more. I hope there is a follow-up….
Shea L. said on Friday January 07, 2011 02:52 PM:
My nuts itch?
spencer said on Sunday April 10, 2011 11:33 AM:
is there a movie for “
the associate”