Nicholas Hoult will play author JD Salinger in Rebel in the Rye

Deadline reports that Nicholas Hoult has been cast as J.D. Salinger in the upcoming biopic, Rebel in the Rye.

The film is based on a screenplay adapted from the Kenneth Slawenski biography JD Salinger: A Life. “The world has always been fascinated with JD Salinger, who the talented Nicholas Hoult will bring to life, in this enigmatic role”, said Bloom’s Alex Walton.

“The story will explore [Salinger’] rebellious youth, his experiences on the bloody front lines of World War II, enduring great love and awful loss, a life of rejection to the pages of the New Yorker and his writer’s block – which led to a spiritual awakening”. Strong, Bruce Cohen, Jason Shuman, Molly Smith, Trent Luckinbill and Thad Luckinbill are producing and Black Label Media is financing the project.

The movie’s producers are expected to introduce the film to foreign buyers at the Toronto worldwide Film Festival in September (15).

Strong co-created Fox’s hit series Empire, and has written and directed several episodes of the musical drama. The young Brit is also starring in Kill Your Friends, the soon-to-be-released crime comedy about the ’90s British music scene, as well as the star-studded Equals, which will premiere at the Venice global Film Festival this week.

Whether you’re a literary nerd or someone who was forced to read old books in high school, you’re likely familiar with the work of JD Salinger.

Let’s just hope that Lee Daniels’ name isn’t affixed to the film’s title a la Lee Daniels’ The Butler, for which Strong wrote the screenplay.

The reclusive Salinger died in 2010 at the age of 91.

Hoult is represented by UTA, 42 and Felker Toczek, while Strong is repped by CAA, Sweeney Entertainment and Jackoway Tyerman.