Lionsgate is in talks to pick up the tab for director Jay Roach’s untitled film about Roger Ailes. The project was put into turn around last week just days before production was due to start by original studio Annapurna, a casualty of the recent turmoil going on in its executive suites.
The film centers on the late Fox News chief Roger Ailes and the sexual harassment allegations that plagued his final years at that post. John Lithgow is set to play Ailes, with Malcolm McDowell on board as Fox owner Rupert Murdoch. Charlize Theron and Nicole Kidman are set to play two high profile Ailes’ accusers – Megyn Kelly and Gretchen Carlson. Margot Robbie will be playing a fictional Fox News producer character named Kayla Pospisil, who is most likely a composite of a number of other women who came forward to accuse the executive of sexual harassment.
The film, which originally had the working title Fair And Balanced, is written by The Big Short screenwriter Charles Randolph. Focus Features, Amblin and Participant Media were also reportedly interested in picking up the film after Annapurna dropped it.
