Miramax offers 'Gracias'

[ALIASd]

Period drama says 'Gracias' to Miramax

Mark Gordon will produce the film

By Steven Zeitchik
Sept 22, 2008, 01:00 AM ET

NEW YORK -- Miramax has signed on for "Muchas Gracias, Bob Oppenheimer," a period romantic drama that will be produced by Mark Gordon.

The film centers on an American serviceman in the 1960s who is sent on an appeasement mission to a fishing town in Spain after a U.S. military plane crash results in the accidental detonation of four hydrogen bombs; in addition to his role with the locals, the serviceman also embarks on a relationship.

The project draws from the true story of Palomares, Spain, where in 1966 an American B-52 bomber crashed and released more than 1,000 tons of nuclear material.

Television series creator Bob Dolan Smith ("Grace Under Fire") wrote the first draft of the screenplay, with a new draft now being written by the UTA-repped Daniel Taplitz. Taplitz is penning the intergenerational drama "Man on a Train" for Miramax and recently signed on for the Overture mortality comedy "92 Minutes."

Gordon and his shingle's Josh McLaughlin will produce, with the company's Lindsey Liberatore shepherding the project; Lauren Levy is overseeing for Miramax.

As a period film with military themes, "Oppenheimer" shares elements with "Saving Private Ryan," which Gordon produced. Miramax has several period movies with military themes or settings on its slate, including the upcoming World War II coming-of-age tale "The Boy in the Striped Pajamas."

Period drama says 'Gracias' to Miramax