Levinson to Direct ‘Brother Jack’

Oscar-winner attached to true life story of human rights advocate Jack Healey

Barry Levinson is attached to direct the true life drama "Brother Jack," Columbia Pictures announced on Thursday.

The film is based on the life of human rights activist Jack Healey. In a press release announcing Levinson's involvement, the studio describes the movie as a coming of age story of an idealist who leaves the priesthood for a life on the streets. Healey than became involved in various human rights causes before ultimately becoming heading Amnesty International USA for 12 years.

Healey currently heads the Human Rights Action Network, a non-profit based out of Washington, D.C. From that post, he has fought to spread awareness of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and to restore Aung San Suu Kyi to power in Burma.

Levinson most recently directed and executive produced the real-life story of a different Jack. The Oscar-winning director's “You Don’t Know Jack,” a biopic of Dr. Jack Kevorkian, aired last spring on HBO. Levinson picked up an Academy Award for directing "Rain Man."

Though his big screen career has stalled in recent years  — his recent inside Hollywood story "What Just Happened?" was both a box office and critical disappointment — Levinson has some impressive credits on his resume. Levinson counts such modern classics as "Diner," "Bugsy," and "Wag the Dog" among his films.

Columbia said that the screenplay is being written by Harley Peyton, with a current rewrite by Kelly Masterson. The film will be produced by Mosaic and Jack Healey.

The studio did not say when filming would start.

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