Warner Bros. is developing a big screen version of Beau Willimon’s play “Farragut North,” with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star and George Clooney eyeing the project as director. Variety says it is unclear yet whether Clooney will play a role in the film.
DiCaprio’s Appian Way will produce with Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smoke House. Willimon is writing the script.
The protagonist is a young communications director who works for a fast-rising presidential candidate. During the course of the campaign, the idealistic young man falls prey to the backstabbing and other dirty trickery of seasoned rival politicos.
The play is headed for Broadway next year, with Mike Nichols reportedly in line to direct Jake Gyllenhaal in the actor’s Broadway stage debut.
Willimon was hired last week by director Marc Forster to adapt the 2002 British miniseries “The Jury” into a feature for Fox 2000.
