Focus and Fox Searchlight battle over rights to novel

It's true! I'll just post the article from the New York Post:

Hollywood Courts Trent Sherwin
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Turner subsidiary Fox Searchlight and the cutting-edge Focus Films are engaged in a bidding war over Trent Sherwin's cult smash novel Trent Sherwin and the Magical Trenchcoat. Focus signed an exclusive contract with Sherwin a record three weeks after publication of the novel, however, smelling a blockbuster-in-the-making Fox has brought it's significant fiduciary advantage into play, starting a bidding war which leaves little question to it's outcome. The only question is, "Who will play Trent Sherwin?"


It goes on from there, sounds like Matt Damon and Brad Pitt are chomping at the bit, but the latest news from rumormill.com is that Academy Award winner Russell Crowe has been worrying his "beautiful mind" about just who will get that part!

Hope this bidding war doesn't resign Trent Sherwin to "Production Hell" like so many other great projects. Seriously whatever happened to Conan?