Aaron Sorkin Options Aide's Tell-All Book About John Edwards And Will Direct Biopic

West Wing creator and An American President scribe Aaron Sorkin will make his feature directorial debut on a drama that chronicles the scandalous implosion of Senator John Edwards’ 2008 run to be the Democratic presidential candidate. It ended shockingly when a tabloid newspaper revealed that the married senator had fathered an illegitimate child with Rielle Hunter — a claim Edwards denied, denied, denied, and then finally admitted, much to the amazement of his cancer-stricken wife Elizabeth who was blindsided. Sorkin has optioned The Politician, the book by one-time Edwards aide Andrew Young that was published last January by Thomas Dunne Books.

“This is a first hand account of an extraordinary story filled with motivations, decisions and consequences that would have lit Shakespeare up,” Sorkin said in a statement. “There is much more to Andrew’s book than what has been reported and I am grateful that he’s trusting me with it.” Sorkin is no stranger to the political arena with credits that also include A Few Good Men and Charlie Wilson’s War. Sorkin optioned the project on his own and hasn’t yet involved a studio. He’ll write the script and produce the film in a deal just closed by WME and his attorney Richard Heller. Sorkin is coming off two high-profile scripting jobs: the David Fincher-directed The Social Network, which opens October 1, and Moneyball, an adaptation of the Michael Lewis book that is about to begin production with Bennett Miller directing and Brad Pitt starring. Both are Sony Pictures’ projects.