Jonah Hill and James Franco team for dramatic True Story

Jonah Hill and James Franco are trading in comedy for drama in the Brad Pitt produced True Story, Deadline reports.

The film is an adaptation of journalist Michael Finkel’s memoir and will be directed by Rupert Goold, who has predominantly worked in theatre and most recently wrote and produced Richard II with Patrick Stewart.

Fresh from his Academy Award nominated turn in Moneyball, Hill will play Finkel, a disgraced writer for The New York Times who forms a peculiar relationship with accused murderer Christian Longo (Franco), one of the FBI’s most wanted.

After Finkel is fired for falsifying a report, he discovers Longo, who had fled to Mexico, has been going by the name Michael Finkel. After Longo’s arrest the only person he will speak to is the real Finkel, who strives to uncover the truth.

Sounds like Hill’s Oscar nomination might not be a one-off.

Discuss: Interested in seeing these former Apatow-acolytes in a drama together?