Coelho's 'Alchemist' set for a big screen version!

trinityMon 19/05/08 09:30

Source: Weinstein Company


The Weinstein Company announced today at the Cannes Film Festival that Harvey Weinstein will produce Paulo Coelho's international best-selling novel 'The Alchemist' and that The Weinstein Company will hold exclusive world-wide motion picture and television rights for the film.


The Weinstein Company is currently in negotiations with an Academy Award® winning screenwriter to adapt the novel into a screenplay, which will be announced shortly. So stay tuned!

Production teams from previous Weinstein produced films (such as Gangs of New York, Cold Mountain, The English Patient, and The Aviator) will be brought on board to work on the film. As producer, Harvey Weinstein has already begun to scout locations all over the world...including various locations in Europe, as well as the Middle East, including Jordan, Abu Dhabi and Northern Africa.


Laurence Fishburne will direct, star and produce the adaptation along with his producing partner Helen Sugland and their production company Cinema Gypsy. A casting search in Spain and Latin America for the role of Santiago will begin shortly and other stars are expected to be announced to round out the cast.


Harvey Weinstein (co-chairman of The Weinstein Company) stated:

"Personally producing a project is rare for me, but bringing 'The Alchemist' to the screen has been my dream. It is a spiritual and moving story and I am thrilled to be working side by side with Laurence. The pieces are now in place to jump start this project and we are eager to get going."


Paulo Coelho added:

"I am very happy that my book will be filmed in the way I intended it to be and I hope the spirit and simplicity of my work will be preserved. I am excited my friend Laurence Fishburne and Harvey Weinstein will be working together."


Laurence Fishburne said:

"This is a special project that now has a special team behind it to ensure that its path to the big screen is handled with the proper care it deserves. I am looking forward to directing it, acting in it, and collaborating with Harvey Weinstein to produce a beautiful film that will do justice to Paulo's enormously successful novel."


And Sam Gores, Chairman of Paradigm..one of the companies producing the project, added:

"We are so pleased we were able to assist our client and friend Laurence Fishburne get his passion project, this beautiful book and story made into a film with Harvey Weinstein and The Weinstein Company, who understand how to make and market material as rare and exceptional as this."




I must admit...this is a novel that I have never read! But apparently it's sold over 30 million copies world-wide...so someone reading this now must have read it? If that's the case...what do you think about the book?

dan_k_23Mon 19/05/08 09:34

A good book, Not sure how well it will transfer to screen though.