A passion project of Laurence Fishburne's for years, it looks as if he'll finally be able to bring Paolo Coelho's best-selling novel The Alchemist to the big screen. According to Deadline, Fishburne is in talks with The Weinstein Company to direct the film, with Idris Elba eyeing the lead role.
Warner Bros. had bought the rights way back in '94, only for Fishburne to acquire them some years later and make a multi-million dollar pact with Weinstein to develop the film. At one point Javier Bardem was circling a role, with a screenplay from Scott McGehee and Dave Siegel drafted around 2009. Right now it's unclear if that script is still in place, nor does Bardem seem to be involved.
Coelho's allegorical epic has become a global phenomenon, having been translated into more than 60 languages and sold millions of copies. The story centers on the literal and spiritual journey of Santiago, an Andalusian shepherd boy who travels to Egypt to achieve fulfill a prophecy and locate hidden treasure in the ancient Pyramids.
If all goes to plan, filming would begin next year, making this Fishburne's first directorial effort since 2000's Once in the Life.
