Garth Davis Eyed To Chart "Shantaram"

Filmmaker Garth Davis, who co-directed much of Jane Campion's "Top of the Lake" mini-series, is in early talks to direct the film adaptation of author Gregory David Roberts' novel "Shantaram" says THR.

The story follows an Australian heroin addict (Joel Edgerton) who escapes a maximum-security prison, reinvents himself as a doctor in the slums of India and eventually uses gun-running and counterfeiting skills to fight against the invading Russian troops in Afghanistan.

In development over the past decade, Johnny Depp was previously attached to star years ago. He remains with the film as a producer and has personally courted Edgerton to star in the film.

Eric Roth is writing the adapted script

Christi Dembrowski and Graham King will co-produce with Depp.