Zac Efron is John Grisham's Associate

[Doctor Jones]

Hmm. When I first read the title to the article I though Shia would play an associate who assists at a top court law firm and eventually stumbles upon it's dark secrets. The firm finds out and tries to track him down trying to shut him out for good by hunting and killing him before he can reveal their secrets. That sounds like something Shia would do. Or has this been done? If it hasn't I'd like to do something like this.

 

[Hunter Rider]

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118000190.html?categoryid=13&cs=1

Monahan set for Grisham's 'Associate'
'Departed' writer to adapt legal thriller

"The Departed" scribe William Monahan has been set by Paramount to adapt John Grisham's bestselling legal thriller "The Associate" as a star vehicle for Shia LaBeouf.

Lorenzo di Bonaventura is producing.

The studio acquired rights to the novel late last year (Daily Variety, Dec. 2). Di Bonaventura and LaBeouf sparked to the notion of doing it together after reading the book in galley form while they were on the set of "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen." The novel was published in January by Random House.

LaBeouf will play a Yale Law School student with a sordid secret that leaves him vulnerable to blackmail. He's manipulated into taking a job at a law firm and working on a multibillion-dollar lawsuit. Monahan, who won an Oscar for adapting the Asian film "Infernal Affairs" into "The Departed" for Martin Scorsese, takes on the job as he is preparing to make his directorial debut on his scripted adaptation of the Ken Bruen novel "London Boulevard," financed by GK Films and starring Colin Farrell and Keira Knightley. Production begins in June in London.

Monahan most recently scripted "Edge of Darkness," the Martin Campbell-directed drama that stars Mel Gibson.

 

[BloodyWolverine]

Well all Shia movies been tollerble so far. Holes, Constantine, I Robot, Disturbia Transformers, Indy 4, even Eagle eye was pretty good film. I think he has good luck picking films.

 

[scifiwolf]

I will say it until I'm blue in the face: watch The Greatest Game Ever Played! It's Shia's best film to date, and he really displays his acting chops in it. The cinematography is great too, courtesy of Shane "Looking at the Lights" Hurlbut.

 

[RonStoppablefan]

Wow did not see this thread before, didn't know Shia was doing this one. I've enjoyed Transformers and Eagle Eye so yah I'll be looking forward to this.

 

[Paroxysm]

Tony Scott In Talks to Direct John Grisham Thriller ‘The Associate’?

 

[Hunter Rider]

Your link isn't working Paro, just saw the news as part of another Tony Scott news item. I read the book and their is solid thriller material here but I can see it needing beefing up a bit and they will need to fine tune the ending.

 

[ALP]

At least he will be playing a college student. I'm sorry, but there's not a single movie in which Shia plays a real adult role that I buy into it. He still looks just like he did in Holes. Straightening your curls does not make you look more like an adult.

There's a reason why Michael Cera, Zac Efron, and McLovin still play teenagers because that is what they are believable as.

 

[Project862006]

Adrian Lyne ("Fatal Attraction," "Flashdance") To Direct

After a 10-year absence from the helm of a studio project, Adrian Lyne ("Fatal Attraction," "Flashdance") is in talks to direct the John Grisham adaptation of "The Associate" for Paramount.Lorenzo di Bonaventura will produce through his Di Bonaventura Pictures banner.
William Monahan penned the original draft about a recent Yale grad coerced into taking a job with a prestige firm after he's given information about a multibillion-dollar case.
Project, which has been sitting in development limbo for some time, originally had Shia LaBeouf starring and Tony Scott possibly directing. But the studio could never figure out a budget and that plan fell through.
With a budget finally set by the studio in the $25 million-$30 million range, Paramount will now look to find its star. While no offers or meetings have taken place yet, several sources say the studio is high on Andrew Garfield for the role after he finishes his stint in the Broadway play "Death of a Salesman" this summer.
Lyne, repped by WME, hasn't directed a big studio pic since 2002's "Unfaithful."

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118052594

 

[terry78]

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=116736

Based on the best selling novel about a Yale student with a dark past that ends up at a prestigious law firm and is forced to lie, cheat, steal and kill to maintain their status quo.

 

[Octoberist]

It's been a while since we had legal thrillers, especially from Grisham.

The Lincoln Lawyer helped bring it back. Life's a circle.

 

[Octoberist]

This is the second movie so far that Shia has dropped out of, or was dumped:

Shia LaBeouf was previously attached to star in the movie when it was set up at Paramount.

http://www.thewrap.com/zac-efron-replaces-shia-labeouf-john-grisham-thriller-associate/

The other one is 'Rock the Kasbah'. Scott Caan replaced Shia. http://variety.com/2014/film/news/scott-caan-replaces-shia-labeouf-in-rock-the-kasbah-1201150802/

 

[Rocketman]

I have this sneaking suspicion that Zac Efron is going to surprise us and become a legitimately great actor in 5 to 10 years, like a Ryan Gosling or a Joseph Gordon-Levitt. I seem to be liking him more and more. I'm impressed that he's sort of stepping out of his wheelhouse and doing stuff that doesn't suit his old "pretty boy" persona.

 

[terry78]

He's already been doing that. He's a pretty solid actor if you've seen his indie stuff.

 

[Loki882]

Yeah, Efron's already a good actor.

 

[Hunter Rider]

Time flies, this movie was announced 6 years ago!