Relativity Media Claims ‘Kashmir’

Ryan Kavanaugh’s Relativity Media, LLC announced today that it has acquired D.B. Weiss’ screenplay Kashmir.   Jean-Jacques Annaud (Enemy at the Gates, Seven Years in Tibet) is in talks to direct.  Kavanaugh will produce, alongside David Benioff (the screenwriter of Troy and The Kite Runner), Guymon Casady (My Best Friend’s Girl) and Michael De Luca (Ghost Rider, 21). Relativity’s Tucker Tooley will executive produce alongside Michael De Luca Production’s Zach Schiff-Abrams and Film 360’s Ben Forkner.

Casting for the two leads is currently under way.  Kashmir is set to begin production in late spring 2009.

Kashmir takes its cues from the classic John Huston film, The Treasure of the Sierra Madre.  The story follows three ex-mercenaries who stumble upon information that dispels the whereabouts of a wanted terrorist—who also happens to have a $30 million bounty on his head.

The script had previously been acquired by Warner Bros., through Benioff and Casady.  The project was then brought to Relativity, who purchased the rights and attached Annaud to direct.  

Relativity and De Luca have partnered previously on several projects, including the upcoming drama Brothers, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Tobey Maguire and Natalie Portman. The film, written by Benioff and directed by Jim Sheridan, will be released in 2009.  Relativity and De Luca have also joined forces to film Andrew Grant’s adaptation of the fantasy novel Acacia, as well as an upcoming, as-yet-untitled thriller from Wendy Miller.

Annaud is repped by Jeff Berg at ICM.  Weiss is repped by CAA and Management 360.  Weiss has been tapped to pen a prequel for the hit I Am Legend for Warner Bros.