Universal Pictures will reportedly develop a project based on The Hider, a short story by the acclaimed American author Julianna Baggott. Robert Downey Jr., who previously worked with the studio on Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer (2023), is in talks to star in the production.
Robert Downey Jr. likely to star in The Hider based on Julianna Baggott’s short story
Following the widespread success of their previous collaborative venture, Oppenheimer, Downey Jr. and Universal Pictures can potentially team up again for an adaptation of The Hider.
As per Deadline, the Avengers: Endgame star is being eyed to feature in the movie. The studio has tapped Andrew Barrer and Gabriel Ferrari to develop a script from Baggott’s short story.
In Oppenheimer, Downey Jr. essayed the role of Rear Admiral Lewis Strauss, who serves as a major antagonistic figure in the movie. For his performance, the MCU star earned multiple accolades, including an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 96th Academy Awards. The movie was nominated for a total of 13 accolades that night and took home seven, including Best Picture and Best Director for Nolan. Additionally, Cillian Murphy won the Best Actor award for essaying the titular role. The movie also garnered a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and made around $976 million at the global box office against a $100 million production budget.
It’s safe to assume that the studio would like to replicate that success with the new project, at least partially. The Hider adaptation is said to be in early development, with the studio being disinclined to share details about the plot.
Aside from acting, Downey Jr. is set to take on the producing duties through his Team Downey banner alongside Susan Downey and Amanda Burrell. Tory Tunnell and Joby Harold of Safehouse Pictures will also produce the project, with Finneas Scott serving as co-producer and Baggott as executive producer.
Notably, Barrer and Ferrari were part of the writing team for the MCU movie Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018). They also wrote screenplays for Die in a Gunfight (2021), No Exit (2022), and Transformers One (2024).
