Thomas Bezucha will direct “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” a film adaptation of the best-selling novel about a professional racecar driver and his family as told from the perspective of the family dog.
Bezucha wrote and directed his first three movies – “Big Eden, “The Family Stone” and “Monte Carlo” — but this time he will direct from a script by “Wolverine” writer Mark Bomback. Michael Rich wrote an earlier draft.
Bomback and Rich worked from Garth Stein’s novel, which remained on the New York Times best-seller list for more than 100 weeks. Universal Pictures bought the rights to the book in 2009 as a starring vehicle for Dempsey, then in the middle of his starring run on “Grey’s Anatomy.” UTA brokered that deal on behalf of Stein and Folio Literary.
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Though Dempsey will not appear in the movie, he is producing it with “Fast and Furious” producer Neal Moritz (“Fast & Furious”). Starbucks Entertainment will executive produce with Tania Landau and Joannie Burstein.
Bezucha is represented by WME, Mosaic and attorney David Fox of Myman Greenspan Fineman Fox Rosenberg & Light, LLP.