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Race on to make Litvinenko film | |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Hollywood star Johnny Depp is to produce one of two films about the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko said to be in development. | |
Warner Bros has bought the rights to a yet-unpublished book written by Alan Cowell of the New York Times. | |
Warner Bros bought the rights to the book for Depp's production company, Infinitum Nihil, to develop, trade newspaper Variety said. | |
Mr Litvinenko, 43, died in University College Hospital, London, in November. | Mr Litvinenko, 43, died in University College Hospital, London, in November. |
His body contained radioactive polonium-210. | His body contained radioactive polonium-210. |
Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned by the Russian government because of his strong criticism of President Vladimir Putin. | Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned by the Russian government because of his strong criticism of President Vladimir Putin. |
The Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way, and police in both the UK and Russia are investigating the death. | The Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way, and police in both the UK and Russia are investigating the death. |
Banned book | |
Under the terms of Depp's production company the actor could both produce and star in the film, which will be based on Mr Cowell's book entitled Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy. | |
Depp, star of Pirates of the Caribbean and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has been following Mr Litvinenko's case closely, Variety reported. | Depp, star of Pirates of the Caribbean and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has been following Mr Litvinenko's case closely, Variety reported. |
The second film is based on the banned book former Mr Litvinenko sought to publish with historian Yuri Felshtinsky. | |
Interested parties in film rights to Blowing Up Russia are said to include Warner Brothers and Working Title Films. | |
Actors mooted for the role of Mr Litvinenko include John Malkovich and Daniel Craig, who recently starred in the latest James Bond film Casino Royale. | |
Blowing Up Russia, which contains an attack by Mr Litvinenko on his former spymasters in Moscow, will be published for the first time in English on 19 January. |
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