Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films to Produce ‘Netherland’ With Sam Mendes’ Neal Street Productions

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CHICAGO – Focus CEO James Schamus made the announcement today that Oprah Winfrey’s Harpo Films is teaming up with Sam Mendes’ Neal Street Productions to produce a feature film based off the Joseph O’Neill novel “Netherland” for Focus Features. Focus will have worldwide rights to the film.

Netherland Photo credit: Vintage

Academy Award-winning screenwriter Christopher Hampton (“Dangerous Liaisons,” “Atonement”) is currently writing the adaptation that will be developed with Mendes as the potential director. Focus CEO James Schamus said, “We’re so glad to have Christopher join our creative partnership with Harpo and Neal Street, rendering an extraordinary gathering of talents even more so. This project’s emotional power has resonated with us all.”

Harpo Films, Inc. produces films, and with an exclusive deal with HBO, scripted television. Recent features have received the highest industry honors for quality. “The Great Debaters” received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Motion Picture Drama.

O’Neill received the 2009 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction for his third novel, “Netherland”. Hampton was an Academy Award nominee last year for his screenplay adaptation of “Atonement”.

Set in early 21st-century New York City, “Netherland” is a story about a lonely expatriate that finds himself drawn to cricket. He then forms an unlikely friendship and discovers a rich world of immigrant culture that was previously unknown to him.

Harpo Productions, Inc. produces the award winning, number-one-rated, “The Oprah Winfrey Show,” creates and develops original television shows for primetime, syndication and cable television, and operates Oprah.com.

By ANGIE RENTMEESTER
Staff Writer
HollywoodChicago.com