Warner Bros Takes on AI with Timothée Chalamet’s New Project ‘Playground’ and Plan B
Warner Bros Secures Film Rights to Richard Powers’ Bestseller ‘Playground’
Warner Bros. Pictures has officially acquired the film rights to Playground, a novel by acclaimed author Richard Powers, which has become a New York Times bestseller.
Timothée Chalamet, along with Plan B Entertainment and producer Brian Swardstrom, is attached to the project. While development is still pending, Chalamet is positioned to take on the lead role, contingent upon the film’s progression.
Playground, which was also nominated for the Booker Prize, follows the journey of Todd Keane and his two best friends from the University of Illinois. The narrative spans the tech boom in Silicon Valley and a phosphate-mined island in Polynesia, delving into themes of love, friendship, and the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence.
With two recent Oscar-winning films, One Battle After Another and Sinners, Warner Bros. is poised for a strong finish to the year. Chalamet stars in Dune: Part Three, directed by Denis Villeneuve, set for release on December 18. The recently released trailer has generated significant buzz, further elevating expectations for the film. Chalamet previously received consecutive Best Actor Oscar nominations for his performances in Marty Supreme and A Complete Unknown.
Plan B Entertainment, helmed by Brad Pitt, recently produced the Best Picture nominee F1 and the Emmy-winning miniseries Adolescence.
Richard Powers, a MacArthur Fellow and National Book Award recipient, previously won the Pulitzer Prize for The Overstory and was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2018. He has garnered four Booker nominations in total, the most for any living author, with Playground nominated this year.
In addition to Playground, Plan B is currently developing Powers’ novel Bewilderment in collaboration with Black Bear.
Powers is represented by Creative Artists Agency (CAA) and the Melanie Jackson Agency. Plan B is also under CAA representation, while Chalamet is represented by UTA, Brian Swardstrom, and Gang Tyre Ramer & Brown.
