It looks like the movie business is finally back in full swing post-guild strikes. Deadline reports that Amazon/MGM won a high-priced bidding war for “Best Of Enemies,” a spy film starring Bradley Cooper and Christian Bale. It may as well be an “American Hustle” reunion. Eric Warren Singer, scribe of the 2013 film with Cooper and Bale, is on board to pen “Best Of Enemies,” while “American Hustle” producer Charles Roven produces through Atlas Entertainment.
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Eight studios were in the mix for “Best Of Enemies,” but Amazon won out over Warner Bros. at the end with a seven-figure bet for the writer and producer each. But “Best Of Enemies” won’t be premiering on Prime Video. Instead, it’s a theatrical release. And will it be Cooper’s directorial follow-up to “Maestro,” currently in theaters before its Netflix premiere? Maybe! A director hasn’t been named yet, but Cooper’s name is in the mix.
But what’s “Best Of Enemies” about, anyway? Based on Eric Deenhall and Gus Russo‘s 2018 book “Best Of Enemies: THe Last Great Spy Story Of The Cold War,” the film follows the story of CIA agent Jack Platt (Cooper) and KGB agent Gennady Vasilenko (Bale). Despite being on opposite sides of the Cold War, the two agents strike up a close friendship even though they’re meant to convince each other to betray their respective countries. The pair were also involved in some of the most infamous spy stories of the late 20th century, including the discovery of Soviet mole Robert Hanssen. Vasilenko was also one of the agents freed during the infamous Spy Swap of 2010, so this film may span close to four decades.
What else about the film? Other producers include Madison Weireter and Ryan Sanak through Atlas with Roven. And Amazon/MGM winning the bidding war for “Best Of Enemies” shows that the merged studios want to make a name for themselves. This is a safe pick for a big bet for Amazon/MGM: a real-life spy drama that’s equal parts period drama, star-studded affair, and “dad cinema.” It should make a bundle once it hits theaters, likely in 2025.
