Focus Features is in final talks to to prebuy U.S. rights to Harmony Korine's The Trap, a revenge tale set against the backdrop of the Miami music scene starring Idris Elba as a gangster rap artist and Benicio Del Toro as his best friend who took the fall for a robbery the duo committed years earlier.

Elba is attached to replace Jamie Foxx, with Al Pacino, Robert Pattinson and James Franco also in final talks to join the cast (Del Toro was announced last year).

Korine, who is repped by CAA, has been a hot commodity since his 2013 indie Spring Breakers, also starring Franco, became a hit. Le Grisbi's John Lesher, producer of the Oscar-winning Birdman, is producing Korine's latest outing alongside Charles-Marie Anthonioz at Iconoclast and Marc Schmidheiny at DCM Film.

Focus declined to comment, but sources say negotiations are at an advanced stage. CAA is arranging financing and representing domestic rights.

In more good news for The Trap, Lionsgate is handling the movie internationally and will likely shop the project to foreign buyers at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival.

In The Trap, written by Korine, Rico (Elba) is at the top of his career and about to enjoy a triumphant night at the Grammy Awards when Slim (Del Toro) is released from prison after 14 years. Slim is determined to exact revenge after learning that Rico not only achieved fame and fortune but also married his girlfriend and raised Slim's son as his own.

Slim's plot includes recruiting a crew of Uzi-weilding surfers led by Max (Pattinson), as well as enlisting the help of Rico's cocaine-happy manager (Franco). Pacino will play Slim's parole officer.

Elba, who is represented by WME, is next in theaters with Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1). He also stars in African war drama Beasts of No Nation, which was recently acquired by Netflix and is slated to debut on the streaming service and in select theaters this fall timed to awards season.

Pacino is repped by UTA and manager Rick Nicita. Pattinson is repped by WME and 3 Arts Entertainment. Franco is repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment.


Uzi-weilding surfer bad boy!!! CAN'T WAIT  

Source: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/focus-landing-harmony-korines-trap-784032