Long-gesting adaptation lands writer-director.
John Lee Hancock (‘The Blind Side,’ ‘The Alamo,’ ‘The Rookie’) has signed up to write and direct an adaptation of John Grisham’s bestselling legal thriller ‘The Partner,’ reports Deadline.
The novel revolves around Patrick Lanigan, a young partner in a white shoe Biloxi law firm with a wife and newborn daughter. Trapped in a burning car one night, he died. When he was buried his casket held nothing more than his ashes. From a short distance away, Patrick watched his own burial, and then he fled. Six weeks later, $90 million was stolen from his ex-law firm’s offshore account, and Patrick fled some more. He just has to hope the wrong people don’t catch up with him.
Hancock is also reportedly circling ‘Highwaymen,’ a drama penned by John Fusco about the veteran cops dragged out of retirement to hunt down the notoriously violent bank robbers Bonny and Clyde. It is believed that If Hancock commits to ‘Highwaymen,’ he’ll shoot ‘The Partner’ next.