Summit Entertainment has acquired the feature film rights to The Perks of Being a Wallflower, starring Emma Watson (“Harry Potter” films) and Logan Lerman (upcoming The Three Musketeers). Filming is scheduled to start this summer.
The movie is written and will be directed by Stephen Chbosky, who also wrote the novel published in 1999. The project is being produced by Lianne Halfon and Russell Smith via their Mr. Mudd productions banner. Mr. Mudd’s John Malkovich will executive produce. Production of the film is slated to commence this summer.
Erik Feig, Summit’s President of Production, stated, “Every so often you read a book that reminds you what life was really like at a particular age in all its wonderful and terrible details or if you’re lucky enough to read it at the right time in your life, it can change the course you’re on and make you think things are actually going to be ok. ‘The Perks of Being a Wallflower’ is that book and we are thrilled for the opportunity to turn it into that kind of movie as well. We know we are off to the right start with Stephen directing, with Emma and Logan starring, and with our talented producer team.”
Both humorous and heartbreaking, The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a coming of age story about 15-year-old Charlie (Lerman), an endearing and naive outsider, coping with first love (Watson), the suicide of his best friend, and his own mental illness while struggling to find a group of people with whom he belongs.
Chbosky is well known not only as an author but also for writing the screenplay for the film adaptation for the musical Rent.
Erik Feig, Gillian Bohrer, Summit’s Vice President of Production, and Sophie Cassidy, Summit’s Creative Executive, are overseeing the project for the studio.
