Depp set up his Infinitum Nihil production company in 2004
Hollywood star Johnny Depp is to produce one of two films about the death of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko said to be in development. Warner Bros has bought the rights to a yet-unpublished book written by Alan Cowell of the New York Times.
Warner Bros bought the rights to the book for Depp's production company, Infinitum Nihil, to develop, trade newspaper Variety said.
Mr Litvinenko, 43, died in University College Hospital, London, in November.
His body contained radioactive polonium-210.
Friends of Mr Litvinenko believe he was poisoned by the Russian government because of his strong criticism of President Vladimir Putin.
The Kremlin has dismissed suggestions it was involved in any way, and police in both the UK and Russia are investigating the death. Banned book
Under the terms of Depp's production company the actor could both produce and star in the film, which will be based on Mr Cowell's book entitled Sasha's Story: The Life and Death of a Russian Spy.
Depp, star of Pirates of the Caribbean and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, has been following Mr Litvinenko's case closely, Variety reported.
The second film is based on the banned book former Mr Litvinenko sought to publish with historian Yuri Felshtinsky.
Interested parties in film rights to Blowing Up Russia are said to include Warner Brothers and Working Title Films.
Actors mooted for the role of Mr Litvinenko include John Malkovich and Daniel Craig, who recently starred in the latest James Bond film Casino Royale.
Blowing Up Russia, which contains an attack by Mr Litvinenko on his former spymasters in Moscow, will be published for the first time in English on 19 January.
www.bbc.co.uk
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johnny depp to play a russian spy...
when i think KGB i think a mafia-esque setting
when i think depp i think a hypercrazy (albeit adorable) pirate with too much makeup
this ought to be interesting
i wish they'd have a russian person play litvinenko, though
How odd. But not as odd as passing the Itsu restaurant on Piccadilly a long time after he was poisoned there, to see it shut and with a statement in the window that went along the lines of "This Itsu is currently closed because it is a major part of an international espionage investigation. It is now a major London landmark and an excellent place to dine when it reopens" They were basically using the death to promote their restaurant.
I know. It is all very grotesque. The oddest part is everyone is so shocked at Russia. Other western governments take out people all the time. And they are scarier because you'd never hear about it.
Exactly. Happens all the time, I expect. I suppose it sounds like it could be some dramatic thriller, somehow glamourous...but they forget that it is still a man with a grieving family. We will never even know the complete truth.
Depp set up his Infinitum Nihil production company in 2004
i know! i have always been interested in this story and had to write a paper about it. I think Depp is the perfect guy 
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