Christoph Waltz to star in 'Billy Wilder & Me' adaptation

Christoph Waltz is set to lead Stephen Frears and Christopher Hampton's feature film 'Billy Wilder & Me'. Described as part coming-of-age story and part true-to-life portrait of Hollywood icon Billy Wilder, the film is an adaptation of the book by Jonathan Coe.
According to reports, the movie marks the third collaboration between Frears and two-time Oscar-winning screenwriter Hampton following 'Dangerous Liaisons' and 'Cheri'.
Regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hollywood cinema, Wilder is known for directing films such as 'The Lost Weekend', 'Irma la Douce', and Marilyn Monroe-starrers 'The Seven Year Itch' and 'Some Like It Hot'.

"In the summer of 1977, an innocent young woman begins working for famed director Billy Wilder and his screenwriter Iz Diamond on a Greek island during the filming of Fedora. When she follows Wilder to Germany to continue the shoot, she finds herself joining him on a journey of memory into the heart of his family history," reads the official synopsis of the film.
Waltz, star of 'No Time To Die' and 'Inglourious Basterds', said playing Wilder in a film was a dream-come-true moment for him.
"Billy Wilder said 'You have to have a dream so you can get up in the morning'. A Stephen Frears movie from a Christopher Hampton script produced by Jeremy Thomas should do the trick for me," the veteran actor added.

Production on the film will commence in Greece, Munich and Paris.