Michael Fassbender and Colin Firth to match wits in ‘Genius’

Oscar winner Colin Firth (“The King”s Speech”) and Michael Fassbender (“Prometheus,” “X-Men: First Class”) will show off their smarts in the upcoming “Genius.”

Inspired by the real-life relationship between influential  writer Thomas Wolfe (Fassbender) and his renowned editor Max Perkins (Firth), “Genius” is being written by the ever-busy John Logan (“Gladiator,” “Hugo,” “Skyfall”), and will be directed by London stage vet Michael Grandage.

Based on the biography “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius” by A. Scott Berg, “Genius” follows Wolfe through his quick rise in the literary scene and his complex friendship with Perkins, a publisher who also worked with Wolfe’s contemporaries such as F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. 
“Genius” will be produced by James Bierman for the Michael Grandage Company (MGC). It is tentatively planned to begin shooting in early 2014. FilmNation Entertainment will handle international sales.

“John Logan, Colin Firth and Michael Fassbender is an extraordinary line-up to work with and we are particularly delighted to bring Glen Basner and all at FilmNation onto the team to join us as we move forward,” Michael Grandage and James Bierman said in a statement. “Together, we can all now look ahead to making this project a reality and bring this amazing story to the attention of audiences everywhere”

“‘Genius’ promises to be a beautifully performed, electrifying and deeply moving film,” added FilmNation”s Glen Basner. “With such a strong creative team led by Michael Grandage, John Logan and James Bierman and with Firth and Fassbender on board, who are undoubtedly two of the finest screen actors working today, we can”t wait to introduce the film to buyers at AFM.”
Firth will soon be seen alongside Cameron Diaz in “Gambit,” opposite Nicole Kidman in “The Railway Man, and in Atom Egoyan’s “The Devil’s Knot.” 
Fassbender will likewise stay busy in 2013. He’s set to appear in Terrence Malick”s untitled project (the music scene one with Ryan Gosling and Rooney Mara), Ridley Scott”s all-star “The Counselor,” and in another film directed by Steve McQueen (“Hunger,” “Shame”) called “Twelve Years A Slave.” 
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