George Clooney will direct a film about the phone hacking scandal that ensnared some of Britain’sbiggest media figures and politicians, studio Sony Pictures Entertainment said.

Hack Attack is based on the 2014 book of the same name by journalist Nick Davies, who details how British newspapers hacked the telephone voice mails of celebrities, members of the royal family and crime victims to gain private information.

“This has all the elements – lying, corruption, blackmail – at the highest levels of government by the biggest newspaper in London. And the fact that it’s true is the best part,” Clooney said. “Nick is a brave and stubborn reporter and we consider it an honour to put his book to film.”

The phone hacking scandal led media mogul Rupert Murdoch to close the News of the World newspaper in 2011 and abandon a $12 billion bid for British pay TV broadcaster BSkyB following a public and political furore, and an exodus of advertisers.

The scandal resulted in arrests of top British editors and reached Prime Minister David Cameron, whose media chief Andy Coulson was forced to resign in 2011 over phone hacking when he was News of the World editor.

Production on the film is scheduled to start next year, the Sony Corp.-owned film studio said.

Clooney, 53, will also produce the movie with partner Grant Heslov through their studio Smokehouse.

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