Bradley Cooper to star in Kiwi crime drama?

Some huge breaking news here today for New Zealand crime fiction, which has been sneaking up on the wider world even more lately with the likes of Jane Campion's acclaimed Top of the Lake, Ellie Catton winning the Man Booker Prize for THE LUMINARIES (a historical murder mystery set on the West Coast), and Paul Cleave becoming a finalist for a prestigious Edgar Award for JOE VICTIM.

Now, Auckland-based writer Ben Sanders, who has three terrific local crime novels under his belt and was recently picked up by a US publisher to kickstart a new US-based series, has raised the bar again. Ben has been working on AMERICAN BLOOD, which is due to be published in 2015. I can't share too many details about the book yet, other than to say that Ben has been very excited about what is going on, when I've talked to him a few times recently. However, what I can share is this breaking news, courtesy of film industry bible, The Hollywood Reporter:

Warner Bros. Nabs 'American Blood' With Bradley Cooper Attached to Star 

Warner Bros. has acquired American Blood, an upcoming crime novel by Ben Sanders, with Bradley Cooper attached to star and produce... The story follows Marshall Grade, an NYPD officer turned mob informant, who, while living in the witness protection programme in New Mexico, is pulled into a dangerous investigation involving a missing woman.  

You can read the full Hollywood Reporter story here.