Hollywood star Tom Holland is set to headline and produce the upcoming film adaptation of John Grisham's 1997 bestseller "The Partner" for Universal Pictures. The screenplay will be penned by Graham Moore, known for "The Imitation Game."
The story follows Patrick Lanigan, a young partner at a prestigious Biloxi law firm who orchestrates an elaborate scheme by faking his death in a burning car. After stealing $90 million from his corrupt firm's client, he starts a new life in South America. His carefully constructed plan begins to unravel when the defrauded client launches a manhunt, forcing Lanigan to surrender to the FBI and confront the family he abandoned.
This role marks a departure from Holland's recent projects, following his one-year acting hiatus after the demanding performance in "The Crowded Room." The actor's schedule is already packed with high-profile projects, including Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," a fourth Spider-Man film, and two upcoming Avengers movies.
The project will be produced under Holland's newly established production banner Billy17, which he founded with his brother Harry Holland and Will South. They join forces with Rideback to bring the legal thriller to the screen.
"The Partner" joins a long list of successful Grisham adaptations that have featured A-list talent, including "The Firm" with Tom Cruise, "The Pelican Brief" with Julia Roberts and Denzel Washington, and "A Time to Kill" starring Matthew McConaughey and Sandra Bullock.
While Universal Pictures has secured the rights to the project, no release date has been announced yet.