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Paramount Pictures closed a deal to acquire Wheeler Dealers, a pitch for a drama that will be written by Michael Lerner. It’s based on the true story of a group of Miami twenty-somethings who landed a $300 million Pentagon contract to acquire massive stockpiles of old Chinese ammunition that wound up being sent to supply the Afghan army. The film will be produced by Will Smith and James Lassiter’s Overbrook Entertainment and Brett Ratner’s Rat Entertainment.
The actual Miami gunrunner, Efraim Diveroli, was sentenced to four years in prison. The episode created a scandal on Capitol Hill because the Pentagon contract was awarded to Diveroli’s company despite the face both were reportedly on the State Department’s Arms Trafficking Watchlist. Lerner’s repped by ICM, Anonymous Content and attorney Linda Lichter. Lerner last month sold the spec Game Theory to Summit Entertainment, with Temple Hill, Alex Goldstone and Adam Shulman producing.
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So it’s LORDS OF WAR. Sounds like a real weiner.
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
i thought it was to bring the show “wheeler dealers” from the brits. It’s a show where they buy clunkers and make them over to try and double their investment. It’s a great car show and a shame that they dont have a proper one in the US. Imagine wheeler dealers in los angeles??? got about a thousand episodes ready to be made.
EXACTLY! I liked the “plot” of fixing up classic clunkers more than this Lords Of War re-boot.
A US-basedd “Wheeler Dealers” would work better than the History Channel’s poorly executed US version of Top Gear (good show, bad US hosts). Heck, even PBS could program a US “Wheeler Dealers” following “Motor Week” or as an automobile-version of “This Old House”.
Otherwise, the Miami arms dealer story – while true – is old news.
Congrats to Michael! Well deserved. One of the smartest guy’s in the business. Glad to see a pitch selling as well.
Truth, it seems, really is more interesting than fiction. Who knew this type of thing ACTUALLY still happens?
Next movie: The California burger flipper who came to be the most important oil contract man for Russia and supply man for American troops in Afghanistan. (it’s a true story too and it’s happening right now)
I’m wondering if ever gets old for certain people on here to read posts about projects and then react with snide remarks. It must be exhausting.
Fox TV has shopped a pilot about this same kid/story. I’ve read it and it’s bad-ass. I hope it gets set up before some cheesy twenty-something movie is made. Believe me, it would be WAY better to see this explored as a series.
Michael is a great guy and a fine writer — he deserves the success. I read Game Theory — it’s excellent. A thriller for smart people.
We already sold this story as a spec pilot to Fox TV Studios in 2009. Goes to show how long it takes for features to trickle through the system…
I’m pretty sure that Michael came up with a good story,but i live with the person,who actually was a right hand to the “twenty something” boy and I do have a lot of knowledge about the real story. I wish that I can have chance to read the scenario,before the movie come out.