Richard Gere & Diana Silvers To Star In Edward Zwick’s ‘Asymmetry’ Based On Acclaimed Novel; FilmNation Launching For Cannes Market

Richard Gere (Pretty Woman) and Diana Silvers (Booksmart) have been set to star in Oscar winner Edward Zwick‘s romantic drama Asymmetry, which is based on Lisa Halliday’s acclaimed 2018 novel of the same name.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Edward Zwick (The Last Samurai) co-wrote the screenplay alongside Lisa Halliday and Marshall Herskovitz. Zwick and Herskovitz are producing under their Bedford Falls Company banner, alongside Clay Pecorin of Rainmaker Films and FilmNation Entertainment. FilmNation and Rainmaker are co-financing the project.

FilmNation will launch international sales at the upcoming Cannes market and will co-represent domestic rights with CAA Media Finance Group.

Asymmetry follows a young editorial assistant in New York, Alice (Silvers), who encounters a world-renowned 70-year-old author, Ezra (Gere), in Central Park. A fleeting moment of eye contact sparks a powerful connection, sending them into a deeply personal and transformative relationship. As they build a private world together, Ezra—known for his bold literary voice—finds unexpected vulnerability, while Alice gains the confidence to pursue her own writing ambitions. Their relationship, however, is threatened when their secret is exposed.

The novel received widespread acclaim upon its release. The New Yorker described it as “a literary phenomenon,” while The New York Times named it one of “15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century.” It was also included on Barack Obama’s list of best books of 2018.

Halliday reflected on the adaptation process, saying: “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Ed and Marshall on transposing Alice and Ezra’s story for the screen. I am enormously grateful to them for their humor, ingenuity, courage, compassion and dedication.”

Zwick added: “Like so many others I was charmed by Lisa’s book, not just because it’s emotional, insightful, and very funny, but because it’s about two people who discover that what the world calls asymmetry can in fact have another name: love.” The project marks his first directorial effort in eight years.

Stacey Snider, Chief Creative Officer of FilmNation Entertainment, and Clay Pecorin, co-founder and partner at Rainmaker Films, said: “Asymmetry tells an unconventional love story that explores an improbable connection between two people at very different stages in their lives, which challenges their — and our — preconceptions about love and power.”

In addition to Asymmetry, FilmNation will present The Passenger at the Cannes market, starring Jeremy Strong and marking director Magnus Von Horn’s English-language debut.

Edward Zwick is represented by CAA and Yorn, Levine. Richard Gere is represented by WME and Hirsch Wallerstein. Diana Silvers is represented by WME, Entertainment 360 and Jackoway Austen. Lisa Halliday is represented by The Gernert Company and CAA.

Read the whole article on Deadline.