BOSTON: Dreamworks Studios Buys Rights To Catholic Sexual Abuse Scandal Story

Dreamworks Studios has contracted with the Boston Globe for the movie rights to the Catholic sexual abuse scandal story that the paper broke ten years ago.

DreamWorks Studios and Participant Media announced their acquisition Tuesday, expressing the intention to create a drama with Tom McCarthy tapped to direct and co-write with Josh Singer. Holly Bario, DreamWorks President of Production, said in a statement that the story by the Globe was extremely important both for Massachusetts and eventually the global community.  "The Boston Globe's coverage of the Catholic priest scandal opened the door to a bigger story that had worldwide ramifications," said Bario. "The story of how this team of editors and reporters came to uncover the truth will make a dramatic and compelling film, especially with the talents of our director Tom McCarthy and his co-screenwriter Josh Singer on board."

As you'd expect, Bill Donohue has an opinion.

"Films about the sexual abuse of minors have all flopped – there is no market for such fare. People want to be entertained when they go to the movies, and there is no entertainment value in these flicks," said Donohue. Donohue also told CP that if "the film sticks to Boston alone, which admittedly was a pretty sick archdiocese, that may not be a problem." "But if it swings widely, painting all priests and bishops as miscreants, then it would be engaging in Catholic bashing. So we'll see," said Donohue.

In 2003 the Boston Globe won the Pulitzer Prize for their reporting on the scandal.