Nicholas Hoult Cast as JD Salinger in Rebel in the Rye

Nicholas Hoult has been cast as JD Salinger and though I greatly admire Hoult’s work I’m not sure he’s the right guy to play Salinger. He’s too pretty for one thing.  Adam Driver seemed born to play Salinger, I always thought. Danny Strong is the writer/director behind the project.

Press release as follows:

NICHOLAS HOULT TO STAR AS JD SALINGER IN “REBEL IN THE RYE” FOR WRITER & DIRECTOR DANNY STRONG

BLOOM to Handle International Sales Beginning at the Toronto International Film Festival for Black Label Media and Bruce Cohen Productions

LOS ANGELES (August 31, 2015) –– BLOOM is handling international sales on Danny Strong’s drama REBEL IN THE RYE which will star Nicholas Hoult (MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST, EQUALS) as legendary author JD Salinger. Written and directed by Strong, the screenplay was adapted from the Kenneth Slawenski biography, JD Salinger: A Life.  Black Label Media is financing with Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill producing alongside Academy Award winner Bruce Cohen (AMERICAN BEAUTY, SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, MILK), Jason Shuman, and Danny Strong. BLOOM will introduce to foreign buyers at the upcoming Toronto International Film Festival, while CAA is representing the North American rights.

REBEL IN THE RYE takes us on a journey into the life and mind of the legendary and secretive author and tells the story of the birth ofThe Catcher in the Rye. As the author who captivated a generation, JD Salinger soared to the heights of the literary world but left it all behind for a life of seclusion. Through his rebellious youth, the bloody front lines of World War 2, enduring great love and terrible loss, a life of rejection to the pages of The New Yorker, and the PTSD-fueled writer’s block which led to a spiritual awakening.

BLOOM’s Alex Walton said, “The Catcher in the Rye is a classic coming of age story which continues to make a significant impression six generations later. The world has long been fascinated with JD Salinger, who the talented Nicholas Hoult will bring to life, in this enigmatic role.”

Strong is known best for creating the hit FOX show “Empire,” for which he has written and directed multiple episodes of the ratings and pop culture phenomenon. In addition he has written the screenplays for THE BUTLER, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 1, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY – PART 2, and the HBO Films RECOUNT and GAME CHANGE.  He has won a Golden Globe, two Emmys, two Writer’s Guild Awards and a Peabody.

Hoult is represented by UTA, 42 and Felker Toczek.

Cannes marked the world premiere of Black Label Media’s SICARIO from director Denis Villeneuve and starring Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benecio Del Toro. The film will have its North American debut at Toronto International Film Festival along with Jean-Marc Vallée’s DEMOLITION starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts which will open the festival next month. Black Label Media’s past credits include THE BLIND SIDE and BEGIN AGAIN.

The BLOOM slate includes: Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s WOODSHOCK starring Kirsten Dunst and distributed in the U.S. by A24; Liza Johnson’s ELVIS & NIXON starring Kevin Spacey and Michael Shannon which will be distributed in the U.S. by Amazon Studios and Bleecker Street; Shane Black’s detective thriller THE NICE GUYS starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling for Warner Bros.; Michael Apted‘s UNLOCKED starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Douglas and Orlando Bloom; and Renny Harlin’s SKIPTRACE starring Jackie Chan and Johnny Knoxville.

About BLOOM

BLOOM represents and curates a diversified slate of films ranging from commercial, talent-driven, wide release movies, to specialty films from proven and trusted filmmakers, all the while keeping an eye towards fresh and emerging talent.  Alex Walton and financier & producer Ken Kao partnered to form BLOOM – a sales, production and financing outfit which launched just prior to Cannes 2014 with two-time Academy Award® Nominee Gus Van Sant’s THE SEA OF TREES starring Academy Award® Winner Matthew McConaughey.