MGM Buys Movie Rights to Spy Thriller I Am Pilgrim

Publish date: 2024-07-23

MGM has bought movie rights to Terry Hayes’ epionage thriller “I Am Pilgrim” with plans to use the film as a franchise starter.

“Pilgrim” has been set up with Lloyd Braun at his Whalerock Industries, which has a first-look deal at MGM. Hayes, whose credits include “Payback,” “Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior” and “Dead Calm,” is adapting his debut novel.

Andrew Mittman at Whalerock will executive produce. Jonathan Glickman and Matt Dines will oversee for MGM.

“Pilgrim” centers on the adopted son of a wealthy American family who once headed up a secret espionage unit for US intelligence.  He’s called out of retirement for an investigation and becomes caught in a race against time to save America from oblivion.

“In creating such an original character in such a riveting, relevant story, Terry has provided us a great template for not only one film, but for a series that can play to global audiences for many years to come,” said Glickman, president of MGM’s motion picture group.

The thriller recently landed on The New York Timesbestseller list and soon will be translated into 20 foreign language editions. Emily Bestler Books/Atria Books, a division of Simon & Schuster, is the U.S. publisher of “I Am Pilgrim” and Transworld, a division of Penguin Random House, is the novel’s UK publisher.

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Hayes is represented by WME and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller, Hoberman, Newman, Warren & Richman, LLP.

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