London, Sep 8 (IANS) Hollywood superstar Tom Cruise’s United Artists film studio has acquired the rights to Douglas Preston’s serial killer story “The Monster of Florence” at the Venice Film Festival in Italy. Cruise is attached to produce and possibly star in the thriller, according to author Preston, reports Hollywood.com.

“It’s the biggest movie deal in my life,” Preston said.

Preston was inspired to write the book by a series of real-life grisly homicides that took place between 1968 and 1985, the same murders that inspired Thomas Harris to write “Silence of The Lambs” sequel “Hannibal” that starred Sir Anthony Hopkins.

Chris McQuarrie, the man behind Cruise’s “Valkyrie” script, will pen the screenplay for the movie.