Idris Elba To Star In Film Adaptation Of Paulo Coehlo's 'The Alchemist'

Brazilian novelist Paulo Coelho first sold the rights of his best seller “The Alchemist” to Warner Bros. in 1994 for only $250,000. In fact, the sum was so small that when Coehlo offered to buy back the rights after a few years when nothing happened with the project, he tried to buy it for $2MM. An offer which was refused. Now, after 11 years, it seems like the project will finally come to life hands of Harvey Weinstein, with Laurence Fishbourne as the director and Idris Elba as the star.

Deadline reports that one of the questions that’s been stopping the project from developing is just how much action should be in the widely spiritual novel’s adaptation. Budget for the movie has been discussed at up to $100MM. When the announcement broke at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, Weinstein implied the project seems like a perfect fit for a Middle East investor, “The film will be a bridge to the Middle East. The book has been an overwhelming success there. It’s a part of the world we need to know more about and extend bridges to it,” said Weinstein.

The project will most likely begin shooting in 2016 and in the meantime, Elba can be seen in the upcoming “Star Trek 3,” as well as his work behind the camera in the upcoming documentary “Mandela, My Dad & Me” where the music of “Mi Mandela,” an album of South African music recorded by Elba, will be featured too.