Universal Pictures Lands Rights To Short Story ‘The Hider’ With Robert Downey Jr. Eyed To Star

EXCLUSIVE: Universal Pictures is looking to get back in business with its Oscar-winning Oppenheimer star as sources tell Deadline the studio has landed the rights to Julianna Baggott’ short story The Hider with Robert Downey Jr. eyed to star. Andrew Barrer (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Transformers One, No Exit) and Gabriel Ferrari (Ant-Man and the Wasp, Transformers One, No Exit) will adapt the short story.

Plot details being kept under wraps. The project is in early development.

Downey Jr., Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell will produce through Team Downey. Tory Tunnell and Joby Harold will produce through Safehouse Pictures. Julianna Baggott will executive produce and Finneas Scott will co-produce.

Universal’s Executive Vice President of Production Development Matt Reilly will oversee the project for the Studio.

The reunion comes after Downey Jr. took home the Oscar for best supporting actor for his critically-acclaimed role in Universal and Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. He also recently landed an Emmy nomination for his performance in the HBO limited series The Sympathizer.

Most recently, Downey made his Broadway debut in McNeal, a new drama by the Pulitzer-winning playwright Ayad Akhtar. As for Team Downey, some of the recent projects they produced include Netflix’s Sweet Tooth and the HBO series Perry Mason.

Barrer and Ferrari most recently penned the Paramount animated pic Transfomers One. Other past credits include Ant-Man And The Wasp and No Exit.

Safehouse are in post production on Novocaine for Paramount starring Jack Quaid and Amber Midthunder and produced Netflix’s hit film Atlas, starring Jennifer Lopez, Sterling K. Brown and Simu Liu this past spring. They  are currently in production on season 2 of Monarch: Legacy of Monsters for Apple TV+. 

Downey Jr. and Team Downey are repped by WME and Hansen Jacobson. Baggott is represented by WME & 3 Arts and BFBST. Barrer and Ferrari are represented by CAA, 3Arts, and Eric Suddleson at Felker Toczek Suddleson McGinnis Ryan LLP. Safehouse is represented by CAA, and their attorneys are Carlos Goodman and Will Jacobson at Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.