“The Killing Kind” film by Zach Helm, biggest effort while working at Amazon

EXCLUSIVE: Amazon MGM Studios has moved to a preemptive takeover The killing kinda psychosexual thriller pitch from screenwriter Zach Helm (Stranger than fiction), which Ryan Reynolds is putting all his effort into producing, sources tell Deadline.

Amazon MGM declined to comment. Details about the film's plot are currently unknown.

Helm comes to The killing kind after working in the same direction as the co-author of Deep waterthe erotic thriller starring Ben Affleck and Ana de Armas Fatal attractionThis is Adrian Lyne. He is well versed in various genres and is perhaps best known for his writing Stranger than fictionColumbia Pictures' popular dramedy starring Will Ferrell, which earned him nominations at both the WGA Awards and Critics' Choice Awards. A celebrated playwright, whose play Good canary was most recently directed by John Malkovich in London, Helm also wrote and directed the family film for 20th Century Fox Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporiumwith Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman and Jason Bateman. He is currently writing the script for the family film As if for Disney and producer Justin Springer.

Maximum Effort has had an extraordinary summer Deadpool and Wolverinewhich is now the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time with a worldwide gross of over $1.3 billion. The company's upcoming projects include Legendary's R-rated live-action/animation hybrid Animal loversKenneth Branagh's psychological thriller The Last Disturbance by Madeline Hyndeand the Apple/Skyndance action-adventure pic May Day with Reynolds and Branagh.

Helm is represented by Gotham Group and attorney David Matlof at Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum.