Niki Caro (Whale Rider) will direct the new Maria Callas biopic, Callas, for Rome-based De Angelis Group.

The film is based on the book Marias Callas Too Proud, Too Fragile by author Alfonso Signorini (who will have a writing credit on the film).

The first draft of the screenplay will be delivered by De Angelis by mid-October, with an eye to shoot in the first quarter of 2012.

ICM brokered the deal with Caro.

De Angelis Group’s Andrea Zoso, “We fully expect Callas to become one of the most important films in the De Angelis dossier as the source material provided by Mr. Signorini’s book is the most in-depth to date about the life of the controversial opera star.  Thusly we’ve put together a very strong production team from Niki Caro on out to bring this story to screen.  Niki’s feature track record is a very bankable one and has been for over a decade.”