November 21, 2013 - 11:07 AMT
Colin Firth to topline “Three To Kill” thriller novel adaptation

Andrew Lauren Productions has committed to finance Three To Kill, an adaptation of the novel by French author Jean-Patrick Manchette, Deadline said.

Christopher McQuarrie has signed on to direct and Colin Firth will star. Howard Rodman will write the script and Lauren will produce with Laura Bickford.

Pic is a thriller set on the coast of France. A disillusioned businessman witnesses a murder and finds himself being hunted by two relentless sociopaths. The novel was adapted by Jacques Tardi into the graphic novel West Coast Blues, and that was nominated for two Eisner Awards in 2010.

Manchette’s The Prone Gunman was separately turned into The Gunman, a Studio Canal Silver Pictures co-production that was directed by Pierre Morel with Sean Penn, Javier Bardem and Idris Elba starring.

Lauren most recently financed and co-produced The Spectacular Now, the Tim Tharp novel adaptation that James Ponsoldt directed with Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley starring. McQuarrie, is prepping Mission: Impossible 5; Firth most recently starred in the Toronto premieres The Railway Man and Devil’s Knot.