The Man From Primrose Lane, the 2012 novel by Akron resident James Renner, is set to become a movie.
Deadline.com reported, and Renner confirmed, that Warner Bros. has bought the film rights to the book as a vehicle for Bradley Cooper, currently nominated for the best-actor Oscar for his performance in Silver Linings Playbook. Other credits include The Hangover and two sequels, The Words, Wedding Crashers, Limitless and the TV series Alias, Kitchen Confidential and nip/tuck. He was also People magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive in 2011.
The twist-laden novel, set in Northeast Ohio and inspired in part by Renner’s investigative reporting, involves David Neff, an author who begins investigating the mysterious man of the book’s title, only to be drawn into an increasingly complicated series of events. Beacon Journal book columnist Barbara McIntyre said it “crosses genres and generations … with touches of Hitchcock, Raymond Chandler and H.G. Wells.”
“I’m beyond excited,” Renner said via Facebook message. “Can’t wait to see how this all comes together. They’ve assembled a really great team at Warner Bros.”
As for the casting of Cooper, he said: “Just saw Silver Linings Playbook last week in Montrose. Cooper knocked it out of the park. So, yeah, I can’t wait to see what he does with the character of David Neff.”
— Rich Heldenfels
