Par, Plan B addicted to memoir pair

Duo nabs film rights to 'Beautiful Boy,' 'Tweak'

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Paramount Pictures and Plan B have acquired pic rights to the David Sheff memoir "Beautiful Boy: A Father's Journey Through His Son's Addiction" and the Nic Sheff memoir "Tweak: Growing Up on Methamphetamines."

Studio and producer will use the recently published books to frame a movie about drug addiction from the perspective of a young meth addict and the father who finds himself helpless to stop his son's downward spiral.

Both Sheff books were published in February and became bestsellers. Houghton Mifflin's "Beautiful Boy" is being sold in Starbucks locations around the country as part of the Starbucks Select book series. The movie will be produced in association with Starbucks.

Before Plan B, the production shingle run by Brad Pitt, moved from Warner Bros. to Paramount, the company acquired the James Frey memoir "A Million Little Pieces," a fast-tracked project that stalled after Frey acknowledged that he significantly embellished his story of addiction and recovery. WB and Plan B are still developing that project in conjunction with Warner Independent Pictures.

Plan B and Par are separately developing "Eat, Pray, Love," an adaptation of the bestselling Elizabeth Gilbert memoir that Julia Roberts will topline, with Ryan Murphy directing, as well as actioner "The Killer" and the fantasy horror project "Black Hole," both of which will be directed by Pitt's "Fight Club" helmer David Fincher.