American actor George Clooney has signed on to star in the film adaptation of bestselling true crime novel, The Monster of Florence written by Douglas Preston with Italian journalist Mario Spezi, reports the Hollywood Reporter.
Previously, Tom Cruise had purchased the rights, but the project never materialized due to financial problems at MGM.
The book describes a true series of incredible events from author Douglas Preston’s life. Shortly after moving his family to Italy in 2000, Preston learned that an olive grove on their property had been the scene of a brutal murder.
Teaming up with an Italian journalist, Preston began investigating the crime, which was part of a series of eight double homicides between 1968-1985. In the course of their investigation, the pair came under police suspicion that they were somehow implicated in the slayings.
Clooney will play Preston, however a director and co-star have not yet been selected. Filming is expected to begin this fall.
Meanwhile, Clooney is directing and acting in The Ides of March with Ryan Gosling and Marisa Tomei. In addition, he will play opposite Sandra Bullock in Gravity, which will begin shooting in a few months. His comedy drama The Descendants with Beau Bridges is also expected to be released this year.