Exclusive Media Group and Cross Creek Pictures are teaming to finance George Clooney’s fourth film as director, The Ides of March (formerly Farragut North), co-producing with Clooney and Grant Heslov’s Smoke House Pictures, who recently produced the summer hit The American, and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Productions.
Adapted by Clooney and Heslov (co-writer on the Oscar-nominated Good Night, And Good Luck) from playwright Beau Willimon’s award-winning 2008 play “Farragut North,” it will co-star Ryan Gosling, Paul Giamatti, Marisa Tomei and Evan Rachel Wood, with more casting to be announced before the film begins shooting in February 2011 in Michigan and Ohio.
Set in the world of politics, Clooney will play Governor Morris, a candidate running in the presidential primary race for the Democratic Party ticket. Gosling plays his press spokesman, Giamatti plays a rival campaign manager, Tomei plays a reporter for the New York Times, and Wood plays an intern for the campaign.
Exclusive Media’s press release describes the film thusly:
“With sharp, quick-witted dialogue and set against the spectacle of modern world power and politics, The Ides of March is a intense tale of sex, ambition, loyalty, betrayal and revenge. The film follows a young press spokesman who falls prey to backroom politics, the treacherous manipulations of veteran operatives and the seduction of a young intern.”
Cross Creek Pictures President Brian Oliver said:
“We are thrilled to partner with such strong creative talents as George and Grant. This has been a long-gestating passion project of theirs and we are thrilled to help bring it to the fore.”
Guy East and Nigel Sinclair, Co-Chairmen of Exclusive Media Group concurred with Sinclair saying:
“This is such a powerful project, the marriage of great material with huge talent behind and in front of the camera. We are thrilled to be partnering with Cross Creek, Smoke House, and Appian Way.”
And East adding:
“George Clooney has a proven track record for making and starring in commercial films of the highest quality. He and Grant are a world class creative team. We are excited to bring their next film to our distribution partners, and ultimately to audiences around the world.”
The film will be distributed internationally by the newly-formed Exclusive Films International with plans to shop the film to buyers at this year’s AFM.
