‘Savages’ Co-Writer Shane Salerno Options Edgar-Winning ‘The Lock Artist’
EXCLUSIVE: Shane Salerno, who teamed with Oliver Stone and Don Winslow to adapt Winslow’s novel Savages, has acquired film rights to the Steve Hamilton novel The Lock Artist. Published by St. Martin’s Minotaur imprint, the novel won the Edgar Award for Best Novel. Salerno will co-write the script with the author and produce the film. They will look to secure a filmmaker shortly.
The Lock Artist is about a young criminal who doesn’t say much but can open anything with a lock on it. Trained by an eccentric genius and owned by a Detroit mobster, he’s rented out as a lock picker for hire to a daring and outlandish gang of youth thieves pulling jobs in Los Angeles. His challenge is to get out before they get caught, and get back to the woman he loves. Salerno is following the same strategy as on Savages, which Universal releases July 6. He and Winslow developed the novel directly with Stone and then it was acquired by Universal in a multi-studio bidding battle. It took only 11 months from the original option deal until the film was in production, with Salerno exec producer. Salerno and Winslow also teamed to adapt Satori, another Winslow novel that Salerno sold to Warner Bros with Leonardo DiCaprio attached to star. Salerno separately brought celebrated crime novelists Chuck Hogan and Winslow together to write a spec script that he’s producing. Salerno also wrote and directed a feature documentary on author J.D. Salinger, and that film will be shopped shortly for distribution. Hamilton was repped by Cine/Lit’s Mary Alice Kier and Anna Cottle on behalf of the Jane Chelius Literary Agency, while Salerno was repped by CAA and attorney Robert Offer.
Sounds like “Drive” with a Master Lock instead of a car. Oh….the term “filmmaker” usually reserved for writer/directors. Sounds like they’re looking to attach a director. Don’t be so quick to discount the writer and the author
Oh it’s nothing like DRIVE. Not even close… That character Gosling played in DRIVE was monosyllabic by choice — or rather, style — via Jean-Pierre Melville who most of the mainstream movie-going public seems to be pretty clueless about.
Anyway, The Lock Artist It’s a very cool story where the main character has brain damage of sorts, giving him autistic-like abilities. He also doesn’t/can’t speak so he’s an enigma of sorts. But I can’t think of two stories more different than this comparison.
This book is amazing.
Great book. Can’t wait to see this.
Have you read this book? The main character is mute. Literally. for 99% of the story. Whoa.
sounds like a cool book. Talent attracts talent and these A+ authors know Shane is the real deal and obviously trust him to deliver on both the script and the package to get it made. Looking forward to it.
The Lock Artist is a terrific book and there is a wonderful and unique love story at the center of it. This is a book that stays with you long after you finish it. Requires a real director to pull it off.
There are some great personalities working in Hollywood. Shane Salerno is certainly one of them. An amazingly gracious guy. Love that he’s involved with these projects.
I can’t wait to see the movie. I love all of Steve Hamilton’s books!
There are some great personalities working in Hollywood. Shane Salerno is certainly not one of them. But I do love this book.