14 DAY TRIAL // It was just yesterday that we were talking about how Sony Pictures had optioned the rights to Glenn Greenwald’s new book titled “No Place to Hide: Edward Snowden, the NSA, and the US Surveillance State,” which was published earlier this week.
Well, it looks like Greenwald agreed to the deal, which means that the movie is a go, with Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli, two producers who signed a lot of James Bond movies, at the steering wheel.
“Growing up, I was heavily influenced by political films, and am excited about the opportunity to be part of a political film that will resonate with today’s newspapers,” said Greenwald in a statement.
Sony announced Wednesday that it was hoping to obtain the rights to turn Greenwald’s book into a movie, waiting barely a day after the book was out, clearly hoping to get ahead of everyone else. The move paid off as Greenwald agreed to the deal.
“Edward Snowden’s explosive revelations have raised important questions about the role of government in protecting its citizens and the balance between national security and personal freedom. We are extremely proud that Michael, Barbara and Glenn chose Sony to bring this riveting story to the big screen, and believe that Glenn’s account of this incredible international event will make for a gripping and unforgettable film,” Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures, said in a press release.
Speculations are high about who will take the lead roles. One site suggests that Jeremy Renner could play Snowden, while Daniel Craig could step into the shoes of Greenwald and Maggie Gyllenhaal in those of Laura Poitras.
Greenwald, on the other hand, mentioned in an interview that he’d heard the names of Edward Norton and Jared Leto mentioned quite a bit for leading roles. However, he admits that this is low on his list of priorities.
While nothing is set in stone so far, with a company such as Sony Productions behind it, the movie will certainly feature some big names and it could actually be a blockbuster. After all, “Skyfall,” another movie produced by Wilson and Broccoli, raked in $1 billion.
This isn’t the first time when there are talks about making a movie about Snowden, but so far, they weren’t based on an actual book, such as the one Greenwald published, but rather on news reports and speculations. Given Greenwald’s first-hand experience with the topic and the materials he has access to, this one has the chance to be more accurate.