After the 26 June ruling that same-sex marriage should be legalised in all states in the US, Fox is planning a movie based on the case that led to the groundbreaking decision.
According to the New York Times, the studio has bought the life rights to the story of Jim Obergefell, who was the lead plaintiff in the lawsuit that helped pave the way for marriage equality. Obergefell married his partner in 2013 but after his partner died, Ohio officials refused to list him as spouse on the death certificate. Obergefell then sued.
Fox has also bought the rights to an unwritten book, based on a proposal called 21 Years to Midnight, by Obergefell and journalist Debbie Cenziper, a Pulitzer prize winner. “This is just an amazing story, and I feel privileged to have him trust me to help tell it in a narrative nonfiction book,” she said.
The studio has also bought the life rights of his lawyer Al Gerhardstein.
The film will be produced by Wyck Godfrey and Marty Bowen, best known for the Twilight franchise. Godfrey has described it as “a transcendent love story”.
