‘St Vincent’s Ted Melfi Helming Matthew Quick Novel ‘Every Exquisite Thing’

EXCLUSIVE: After making his breakthrough writing and directing the Golden Globe-nommed Bill Murray starrer St. Vincent, Ted Melfi has made a deal to reunite with The Weinstein Company. He’ll adapt and direct Every Exquisite Thing, the upcoming novel by Silver Linings Playbook author Matthew Quick. TWC bought the book in manuscript; Little Brown will published it in 2016.

The heroine is Nanette O’Hare, a teen student athlete who’s given by a favorite teacher his tattered copy of the out-of-print cult novel The Bubblegum Reaper. The book awakens an adventurous spirit in her, prompting Nanette to seek out and befriend the reclusive author and emulate the crazy life described in his book.

Melfi’s trials and tribulations in getting Murray to star in St. Vincent certainly are paying off. The film has grossed $42 million domestic and is hanging in at theaters. It received Golden Globe noms for Best Comedy and Bill Murray for Best Actor, and it today received Critics’ Choice noms for Best Comedy and for Murray, Melissa McCarthy and newcomer Jaeden Lieberher. Melfi, repped by UTA and managed by Infinity’s Jon Karas, scripted the New Line remake of Going In Style that Zach Braff will direct. He also adapted to direct the J.R. Moehringer memoir The Tender Bar. That film shook loose from Sony, and I’m told several noteworthy actors are circling along with financiers.