MadRiver Pictures announced today that Academy Award nomineeMichael Keaton(Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance),Spotlight) is in negotiations to star in Academy Award winner David Frankel’s (The Devil Wears Prada,Collateral Beauty) true-life biographical drama,What Is Life Worth. Additional casting is currently underway. Academy Award® winning producer Michael Sugar (Spotlight) will produce alongside Marc Butan, Sean Sorensen and Max Borenstein and Bard Dorros. Kim Fox will executive produce along with Riverstone’s Nik Bower and Deepak Nayar. Riverstone is financing.
Based on the acclaimed memoir by Kenneth Feinberg, the Black List script is penned by Max Borenstein.What Is Life Worthis anErin Brockovich/Spotlight-type story of Ken Feinberg, a powerful insider D.C. lawyer put in charge of the9/11Fund, who in almost 3 years of pro bono work on the case, fights off the cynicism, bureaucracy and politics associated with administering government funds and in doing so, discovers what life is worth.
Keaton won a Golden Globe and was nominated for anAcademy Awardfor his performance in Alejandro G. Iñárritu’sBirdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)and recently wrapped production on Tim Burton’sDumbofor Disney, which is schedule for 2019 release. He recently appeared inSpider-Man: Homecomingfor Columbia Pictures, Michael Cuesta’sAmerican Assassinand Tom McCarthy’s Academy Award winning filmSpotlight.
Frankel is best known for helmingThe Devil Wears PradaandMarley and Me. Frankel directed the pilot forEntourageand won a Primetime Emmy Award for his work onBand of Brothers. Most recently Frankel has helmed the dramedyHope Springsfeaturing Meryl Streep, Tommy Lee Jones, and Steve Carell and the Will Smith starrer Collateral Beauty.
IMR is launching sales in Berlin, with the film joining a sales slate that includesVigilencestarring Sandra Bullock and Jacques Audiard’sThe Sisters Brothersstarring Jake Gyllenhaal and Joaquin Phoenix.
Riverstone Pictureshas recently financed Julian Schnabel’sAt Eternity’s Gateand Harmony Korine’sThe Beach Bum, and produced Stanley Tucci’sFinal Portraitstarring Geoffrey Rush and Armie Hammer, which Sony Pictures Classics will launch at SXSW.What is Life Worthwas developed with Isabella’s Basil Productions.
Sean Sorensen acquired the rights to Kenneth Feinberg’s acclaimed memoir and developed the Black List script with screenwriter Max Borenstein. Keaton is represented by ICM Partners. Frankel is repped by WME and Anonymous Content. Borenstein is repped by UTA.
