News

Gore Verbinski to Develop Fantasy Role Playing Film

Gore Verbinski, his Blind Wink Productions banner, and Universal have acquired the rights to a 2007 Wall Street Journal article about the world of online fantasy role playing. They will use the article as source material for a film about how role playing games have negatively impacted the lives of the players who become immersed in virtual worlds.

Verbinski is developing the film as a directing vehicle for himself. The article, written by Alexandra Alter, features a 53-year-old man who is a married, chain-smoking diabetic in real life, but spends nearly 20 hours a day portraying himself as a muscular entrepreneur online.

Screenwriter Steve Knight, who wrote Eastern Promises, will translate the article into a screenplay.

—The ARTISTdirect Staff
12.24.08