EXCLUSIVE: Ben Stiller and Oscar nominee Colin Farrell have been confirmed to star in Andrew Haigh’s true crime story Belly of the Beast as mk2 films, UTA Independent Film Group, CAA Media Finance and Village Roadshow gear up to launch sales on the project in Cannes.
Rumors of the project surfaced at the beginning of the year and now the sales partners have unveiled the full details ahead of rolling out it out to buyer in the South of France next week.
Bafta nominee Haigh will direct the film, which he and Alexis Jolly adapted from Jerome Loving’s nonfiction book, ‘Jack and Norman: A State-Raised Convict and the Legacy of Norman Mailer’s ‘The Executioner’s Song.’
Per the official synopsis the feature will tell the timely and true story of the unlikely friendship between notorious literary titan Norman Mailer (Stiller) and his protégé, Jack Henry Abbott (Farrell).
Bolstered by Mailer’s mentorship, Abbott is paroled after nearly a decade in prison; he gains instant popularity among the literary elite but struggles with life on the outside. When Mailer, creatively frustrated and envious of Jack’s rising star, turns his back on his infamous protégé, Jack spirals – committing an unforgivable act of violence in a New York City diner just six weeks after his release
Colin and Claudine Farrell, and Alison Rosenzweig and Michael Gaeta will produce the film developed and produced by Village Roadshow Pictures (VRP). Jillian Apfelbaum, Tristen Tuckfield, and Nic Gordon will executive produce for VRP.
Paris-based mk2 Films is handling international rights and UTA Independent Film Group, CAA Media Finance and Village Roadshow Pictures handling North American rights.
Stiller recently wrapped production on David Gordon Green’s independent feature Nutcrackers. Farrell was last seen in The Banshees of Inisherin, for which he won a Golden Globe for Best Actor and earned Academy Award, BAFTA and SAG nominations. He is currently reuniting with director Kogonada in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey opposite Margot Robbie. This summer he will shoot Edward Berger’s Ballad of a Small Player opposite Tilda Swinton.
“We couldn’t be more excited to be working with Andrew Haigh, a filmmaker we’ve long admired, on Belly of the Beast. With its gripping real-life drama and the thrilling on-screen partnership of Ben Stiller and Colin Farrell, set against the vibrant backdrop of 1980s New York, it promises to be an electrifying experience. Andrew Haigh’s nuanced approach will delve into the story’s intricate contradictions and complexities,” said mk2 films’ Managing Director Fionnuala Jamison.
UK director Haigh’s critically acclaimed 2023 film All of Us Strangers from Searchlight Pictures received six BAFTA nominations including best director and best adapted screenplay for the filmmaker.
The feature also landed three Independent Spirit Awards nominations. Haigh’s previous films include A24’s Lean on Pete and IFC’s 45 Years, for which Charlotte Rampling earned a best actress Academy Award nomination.
Stiller is represented by WME, ID, and Lawyers Warren Dern and David Weber at Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern. Farrell is represented by CAA, managers Claudine Farrell and Ilene Feldman, and attorney Steve Warren. Haigh is represented by The Agency in the UK, CAA, and Anonymous Content. Jolly is represented by CAA.
