EXCLUSIVE: Melanie Laurent is in negotiations for the female lead in Summit’s magician-heist pic “Now You See Me.”
Louis Leterrier (“Clash of the Titans”) will direct with Boaz Yakin and Edward Ricourt penning the script.
Jesse Eisenberg will star, as Variety first reported June 8. Jake Gyllenhaal was also circling the project at one point, but passed.
Story revolves around FBI agents tracking a group of illusionists and magicians who pull off bank heists during their performances and shower money on the audience.
Alex Kurtzman and Roberto Orci will produce through their Kurtzman Orci Paper Products banner. Yakin and Bobby Cohen are exec producing.
Erik Feig, Summit’s President of Production; Michael Schaefer, Summit’s Senior Vice President of Acquisitions and Co-Productions; and Ashley Schlaifer, Summit’s Creative Executive, will oversee the project for the studio.
Best known for her role in “Inglourious Basterds,” Laurent can currently be seen in the Focus Features pic “Beginners” starring Ewan McGregor and Christopher Plummer.
She is repped by CAA and UBBA.
