Award-winning independent filmmaker Dee Rees will direct the best-selling 1996 Joan Didion political thriller The Last Thing He Wanted. Elevated’s Cassian Elwes optioned the book from Didion to develop it in partnership with Rees following their incredible collaboration on Mudbound.

Marco Villalobos will pen the screenplay which is a political thriller in the vein of the parallax view about a Washington Post journalist thrown unexpectedly into the dangerous world of arms dealing.

“This work is one of my favorite Joan Didion novels and is a brilliant and layered piece of fiction,” said Rees.  “I am forever attracted to interesting, unexpected characters and Didion is one of the greatest masters of the form.  I’m so excited to be able to interpret this literary masterpiece.”

“As longtime admirer of Joan Didion, we couldn’t be more excited to bring one of her most compelling works of fiction to life.  And Dee’s take on this piece has a unique tension and depth,” added Elevated’s Cassian Elwes. “The combination of the two powerhouse creatives will make for an incredible film wand I look forward to continuing my work with Rees and The Fyzz.”