Lionsgate has acquired U.S. distribution rights from Lakeshore Entertainment and Sidney Kimmel Entertainment for the upcoming crime thriller "One for the Money" with Katherine Heigl. The film is based on the first novel in writer Janet Evanovich’s bestselling Stephanie Plum series.
Lakeshore’s Elisabeth Costa de Beauregard and Nick Meyer’s Sierra Pictures are jointly handling international distribution.
Terms of the deal were not released, but Lionsgate said that Rob McEntegart, senior executive vice president, motion picture group, and Wendy Jaffe, executive vice president, business and legal affair, acquisitions and co-productions, handled negotiations for the studio. Eric Reid, Lakeshore Entertainment’s chief operating officer, represented the filmmakers.
Heigl is co-starring in another high profile Lionsgate release, next summer’s "Killers" with Ashton Kutcher. Liongate President of Motion Picture Productions Mike Paseornek alluded to the appeal of teaming with Heigl again in his statement announcing the deal, saying, "…we’re delighted to be working again with Katherine Heigl, who is the perfect actress to play Janet Evanovich’s smart, gutsy and funny heroine.”
Julie Ann Robinson ("The Last Song") is directing the movie from a current rewrite by Liz Brixius (“Nurse Jackie”). Lakeshore’s Tom Rosenberg and Gary Lucchesi are producing with Sidney Kimmel and Wendy Finerman ("The Devil Wears Prada"). Mike Paseornek, Lionsgate President of Motion Picture Production, will oversee the production for Lionsgate.
Te movie will focus on Plum, a newly-divorced, recently laid-off woman who lands a job working in her cousin’s bail bond business. In need of fast cash she latches on to the case of a local cop wanted for murder who also happens to be the guy that broke her heart in high school. That, according to Lionsgate, is a recipe for murder, deceit, with a bit of romance.
