DreamWorks Acquires Two 'WikiLeaks' Books

DreamWorks Acquires Two 'WikiLeaks' Books

Published: March 01, 2011 @ 8:15 pm
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By Joshua L. Weinstein

DreamWorks has become the latest company to express interest in making a WikiLeaks movie.

The studio has the rights to two books about WikiLeaks and its controversial founder, Julian Assange, TheWrap confirmed Tuesday.

DreamWorks acquired rights to Daniel Domscheit-Berg's "Inside WikiLeaks: My Time with Julian Assange at the World's Most Dangerous Website," and David Leigh and Luke Harding's "WikiLeaks: Inside Julian Assange's War on Secrecy."

It's early in DreamWorks' process: There's no producer, no director, no script.

In fact, the story itself is ongoing. A British judge has ruled that Assange can be extradited to Sweden, where he is to face a sex crimes inquiry.

Tuesday, a British magazine reported that Assange believes a Jewish-led conspiracy is smearing his organization. In the story, "Private Eye" editor writes that Assange called him to complain about coverage.

Former Universal Pictures Chairman Marc Shmuger and Academy Award-winning director Alex Gibney are producing a documentary about Assange. Josephson Entertainment and Michelle Krumm Productions have optioned a still-to-be-published biography of the WikiLeaks boss, written by the Australian journalist Andrew Fowler.

Management 360, "Hurt Locker" screenwriter Mark Boal and financier Megan Ellisan  have optioned a "New York Times Magazine" story about Assange.

Deadline originally reported the story.

Tags: Alex Gibney, companies, Deal Central, DreamWorks, Julian Assange, marc shmuger, Movies, people, WikiLeaks
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