A father arrested for spying against his own country, who teaches his son the art of espionage from behind bars? Believe it or not, that's a true story, one that will become fiction via Spy’s Kid, a new film that could star Robert De Niro and Shia LaBeouf.
LaBeouf’s Disturbia/Eagle Eye director DJ Caruso is part of the package that Paramount has lined up to adapt the story. There’s no writer attached yet, but whoever works on the film will adapt a series of articles in The Oregonian written by Bryan Denson.
Jim Nicholson was a veteran CIA officer who in 1996 was convicted of treason and sent to prison for 23 years, the highest-ranking officer ever to be so convicted. His son Nathan, dealing with depression and a failed Army career, began visiting Jim in prison, seeking advice to get his life back on track.
While Nicholson Sr. helped boost his son’s morale, he also taught him tradecraft, and sent him around the world selling secrets to the Russians, getting ever more deeply involved.
It’s early days for the project with deals still being hammered out, and all involved will decide whether they take part based on the script.
LaBeouf will next be seen in Robert Redford’s The Company You Keep and Lars von Trier’s Nymphomaniac. De Niro has** The Big Weddin****g** set for release in May and has also worked on Malavita, Last Vegas, Grudge Match is at work on David O. Russell’s American Hustle.