Shia LaBeouf attached to Mandalay's 'Horns' - Entertainment News, Film News, Media - Variety

Shia LaBeouf attached to Mandalay's 'Horns'

Thesp to play a man who sprouts horns -- and a dilemma

By Jeff Sneider

LaBeouf

Shia LaBeouf is attached to star in Mandalay Pictures' bigscreen adaptation of Joe Hill's bestselling novel "Horns," and will be closely involved in the project's development.

Keith Bunin ("In Treatment") is adapting the book, which is described as a love story driven by horror and vengeance.

LaBeouf will play Ig Perrish, a 26-year-old who awakens from a black-out hangover to find horns sprouting from his head. As his horns grow bigger, Ig sets out to investigate the unsolved murder of his girlfriend and the case's connection to his cursed fate.

Peter Guber and Cathy Schulman will produce for Mandalay, while the company's VP Adam Stone will oversee the project and serve as a producer in some capacity.

Hill, the son of Stephen King, will exec produce "Horns," having optioned the rights to Mandalay in October 2009 before the book was published by William Morrow.

"Shia is an extremely gifted actor who responded to this novel with total enthusiasm from the beginning," Schulman said. "We share a passion to bring the iconic character of Ig Perrish to life."

LaBeouf next stars in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," which Paramount opens July 1. Thesp is filming John Hillcoat's bootlegging drama "The Wettest County in the World."

Bunin is an acclaimed playwright who is writing "The Return of the Ice Kids" for director Michel Gondry.

Warner Bros. previously purchased Hill's debut novel, the New York Times bestseller "Heart-Shaped Box."

Mandalay continues to secure high-profile literary properties to develop and package before seeking out distribution partners. The company recently acquired Max Barry's "Machine Man" for Darren Aronofsky and his longtime writing partner, Mark Heyman, to develop.

CAA reps Bunin and LaBeouf, who is also repped by John Crosby Management and attorney Matthew Saver.

Contact Jeff Sneider at jeff.sneider@variety.com

via variety.com