Kevin Spacey Joins Rebel in the Rye Opposite Nicholas Hoult as J.D. Salinger

Last September it was revealed that Nicholas Hoult had signed on to star in a biopic of writer J.D. Salinger called Rebel In The Eye. Now he’s got some company, as Variety reports that Kevin Spacey will co-star.

It’s previously been promised that the film ‘takes us on a journey into the life and mind of the legendary and secretive author and tells the story of the birth of The Catcher in the Rye. As the author who captivated a generation, JD Salinger soared to the heights of the literary world but left it all behind for a life of seclusion. Through his rebellious youth, the bloody front lines of World War 2, enduring great love and terrible loss, a life of rejection to the pages of The New Yorker, and the PTSD-fueled writer’s block which led to a spiritual awakening.’

Spacey meanwhile will be Whit Burnett, a professor at Columbia and editor of Story Magazine, who becomes Salinger’s mentor and challenges him to become a better writer.

Danny Strong (who co-created Empire and wrote the scripts for the likes of Hunger Games: Mockingjay and The Butler) will write and direct the movie. It’s believed the movie will shoot some time fairly soon.