The Chronicle‘s Louis Parks reports that a local reporter’s book is about to be made into a movie starring Jim Carrey:
Jim Carrey is set to play true-life Texas con man and escape artist Steven Russell in the film I Love You Phillip Morris. Russell, a convicted embezzler, repeatedly broke out of Texas jails to rejoin his lover, Morris.
The news, reported Monday in Variety, was of special interest to Houston Chronicle news reporter Steve McVicker, who wrote the book I Love You Phillip Morris: A True Story of Life, Love, & Prison Breaks (Miramax Books, $22).
McVicker, who covered Russell’s 1980s-’90s escapades while a reporter at the Houston Press, knew about as much of the details of the film deal as most authors after Hollywood has purchased their books.
“I don’t know who has been signed or what,” he said Monday. “All I know is what’s in Variety.”
The announcement didn’t catch him completely by surprise. “The producer called over the weekend to make sure they spelled my name correctly,” he joked.
The main thing is getting the name right on the royalty checks!
Congratulations to McVicker, whose book ought to get quite a bit of attention when the movie is released.