Zac Efron has signed on to star in and produce a film adaptation of The Associate, a novel by John Grisham. A film adaptation had been in development years ago and was at one point even going to star Shia LaBeouf.
Now that Efron is set to make it, it appears that The Associate is finally going to hit the big screen. According to The Hollywood Reporter, his Ninja's Runnin Wild will produce the film. Ninja’s Runnin wild previously produced That Awkward Moment. Red Wagon Entertainment’s Doug Wick and Lucy Fisher (Divergent) are co-producing. Michael Simkin and Nicki Cortese are also working on the project. The producers will find a writer before they bring it to a major studio.
TheWrap reports that Efron would star as a Yale Law School graduate who is blackmailed by criminals, who force him to spy on a law firm’s case between defense contractors.
Paramount was working on the project back in 2008 and had LaBeouf cast as the lead. This is the latest project linked to LaBeouf that has had to find a different star before the cameras role. He’s also dropped out of Rock the Kasbah. Variety reported earlier in the week that Scott Caan was picked as LaBeouf’s replacement there.
Efron will be seen next in Neighbors with Seth Rogen.