READ THE MOVIE

By GINIA BELLAFANTE

With the arrival of every John Grisham thriller comes the inevitable question: What exceedingly bankable, cute-as-a-button superstar will take on the role of beleaguered but principled defense counsel, first-year associate or eager law student in sweaty peril? In July the film version of Grisham's first novel, A Time to Kill, arrives in movie theaters with Sandra Bullock. Since movie versions of The Firm (Tom Cruise), The Client (Susan Sarandon) and The Pelican Brief (Julia Roberts, Denzel Washington) have cumulatively grossed close to $600 million worldwide, adaptations of the rest of the canon are on the way.

The author is now fielding offers for the film rights to The Runaway Jury. Given his history, the purchase price could set another record. Film rights for his past two novels, The Rainmaker and The Chamber, sold for $6 million apiece.

As his asking price has soared, so has his involvement. Grisham had approval of script, director and cast during the making of A Time to Kill (while grumping about Universal's unapproved adaptation of The Chamber, due this fall). He is co-writing the screenplay for The Rainmaker with director Francis Coppola. By the time Grisham finishes his eighth novel, he could call it Showgirls II and still name his terms.

--By Ginia Bellafante