Edgar Wrighthas signed on to direct the kidnapping thrillerThe Chainfor Universal Pictures, which optionedAdrian McKinty’s bestselling book in a seven-figure deal.
If the title sounds familiar, it’s because this project was reportedly heading to Paramount, thoughDeadlinereported today that the deal never closed, allowing The Story Factory’sShane Salernoto shop the property elsewhere. Now Wright and his Complete Fiction partnerNira Parkwill produce alongside Working Title’sTim BevanandEric Fellner.
X-Men: First ClassscribeJane Goldmanhas been hired to write the script, which follows Rachel, a woman whose 11-year-old daughter has been kidnapped. She’s told that the only way to get the girl back is to kidnap another child, who will only be released if their parents kidnap another child. On and on it goes, and thus, The Chain was born.
I readThe Chainas soon as it was published last July after Salerno’s palDon Winslowwas kind enough to send me an early copy. I read it cover to cover in just a couple days, as McKinty has written a thrilling page-turner that always keeps you wondering as to where it will go next.
McKinty has a great story himself. He was ready to give up writing because he wasn’t making enough money to support him family. He took construction jobs and even started driving for Uber to make ends meet, but he still wound up evicted from his home. He wrote Winslow a fan letter, and Winslow urged him not to give up, offering to broker a meeting with Salerno. McKinty decided to give writing one more try, and sure enough,The Chainlaunched his career, having now been published in 41 countries.
“My story is a story of never giving up. It’s a story about writers helping fellow writers. I hope it inspires other writers who may be thinking about quitting, to never give up. I never imagined any of this could happen, but I hoped it would. I had hope. I am so grateful and I hope my story inspires others," McKinty told Deadline when the Paramount deal was first reported.
As a big fan of this book, I couldn’t be more thriller to see it in the capable hands of Wright and Goldman, and I look forward to seeing who the director casts as Rachel, a cancer survivor whomThe Chainhas clearly underestimated. I thinkEmily Bluntwould be amazing, but that’s just off the top of my head.
Wright is coming off of the psychological thrillerLast Night in Soho, which will hit theaters next spring. For more on Winslow and who’s turning hisCarteltrilogy into a TV series,click here.
