Mandate International has commenced talks with buyers here on Relativity Media’s thriller Dark Fields starring in-demand Bradley Cooper.

Universal will distribute in North America through Relativity’s Rogue Pictures label and Neil Burger is preparing for a late spring 2010 start.

Leslie Dixon adapted the screenplay from Alan Glynn’s novel about a lowly New York writer who becomes a hunted man after he takes a pill that enables him to access the full capacity of his brain.

Dixon and Scott Kroopf will produce with Relativity Media’s Ryan Kavanaugh. Serving as executive producer is Relativity’s Tucker Tooley.

Cooper starred in the Summer smash The Hangover and can currently be seen in New York, I Love You and will next star in Valentines Day directed by Garry Marshall. He is currently filming The A-Team directed by Joe Carnahan set for a June 2010 release.

“We’re big fans of Alan’s smart suspense thriller,” Kavanaugh said. “We’re honoured to have Leslie Dixon adapt the screenplay and have such a gifted actor as Bradley in the lead role. We look forward to helping Neil realise his vision for this exciting thriller.”

“I have been intrigued by the prospect of bringing this story to the screen for quite some time and I am very much looking forward to collaborating with Bradley, who I think is one of our finest working actors today,” Burger said.