Charlize Theron Might Make Biopic About Slain War Correspondent

Lately Charlize Theron has been deftly leaping from one genre to another, following the deeply dark comedy Young Adult with the sci-fi epic Prometheus then the fantasy-adventure Snow White and the Huntsman. But new reports suggest the dazzling and daring performer who broke out of the confining niche of beautiful starlet with her Academy Award-winning portrayal of notorious serial killer Aileeen Wuornos in Monster may be looking to return to more drama-driven fare with a proposed biopic on lauded war reporter Marie Colvin, who was killed at age 56 while covering Syria's civil war last February.

Born in Queens, New York, Colvin was an American war correspondent who fearlessly reported on conflicts all around the world for the U.K. newspaper The Sunday Times. Not even losing an eye in 2001 while covering a conflict in Sri Lanka deterred her from getting close literal war zones to give the best possible insight into these events. But beyond her awe-inspiring bravery and impactful career, Colvin's life story also offers plenty of personal drama, including three divorces and a battle with post-traumatic stress disorder.

THR reports producer Basil Iwanyk and Peter Lawson have optioned the rights to Colvin's story by acquiring Marie Brenner's in-depth Vanity Fair piece "Marie Colvin's Private War." Theron is in talks to board the pic as a producer, and though she's not presently attached to star it seems like a great vehicle for her. But it's likely Theron will hold out to sign on as an actor until the screenplay is penned. Producers are now seeking a scribe to adapt Brenner's article into a compelling drama.