Columbia Pictures Acquires Motion Picture Rights To MOONWALKING WITH EINSTEIN

Columbia Pictures has acquired the rights to adapt “Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything” by Joshua Foer into a major motion picture, with Matt Tolmach producing, it was announced by Doug Belgrad, president of Columbia Pictures.

Moonwalking with Einstein chronicles Foer’s real-life experience as a science journalist covering the US Memory Championship who decides to become a participant in the event. As he covers the competition, Foer is astounded to discover that those with the best memories aren’t geniuses or savants but regular people who had trained their minds using ancient techniques. Though he’s just a guy with an average memory, someone who can’t remember where he put his car keys (or even his car), Foer shows that the tricks of the trade are available to anyone as he learns to harness his own brain power and win the memory competition.

Commenting on the announcement, Belgrad said, “This is a very special book which transcends the already fascinating subject of memory. By explaining in personal and entertaining fashion a great deal about how our brains work, Joshua has written a book that sheds light on how memory is connected to humanity.”

Added Tolmach, “At a time in our lives where we have outsourced so much of our memory to technology, Josh goes on this incredible journey into the inner workings of our memory. What he discovers is stunningly universal and profound.”

Foer was represented by NY-based publishing agent Elyse Cheney and UTA, and Hannah Minghella and Rachel O’Connor will oversee development of the project on behalf of Columbia Pictures.