Screen Gems picks up 'Beautiful Girl'

Screen Gems has purchased Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Cunningham's script Beautiful Girl.

The Hours novelist's story revolves around a high school girl who drops six dress sizes after a summer diet. She begins to flirt with her English literature teacher, only to see his obsession turn sinister when he exacts revenge on those who bullied her.

"While I was writing about Virginia Wolff, my mind was never far removed from the idea of girls in bikinis being hacked up by guys wearing hockey masks, and I vowed that if I ever had a good idea, I would write one of these scary movies," Cunningham told Variety.

Douglas Wick and Lucy Fisher will produce Beautiful Girl, which Cunningham plans to follow up with a script for a monster movie.