LOS ANGELES, USA (AFP) — Sony Pictures Entertainment has acquired the rights to the new book by journalist Glenn Greenwald about fugitive US intelligence leaker Edward Snowden, the studio said yesterday.

James Bond franchise producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli will make the movie version of No Place to Hide, described as “a political film that will resonate with today’s moviegoers”.

Snowden’s “explosive revelations have raised important questions about the role of government in protecting its citizens and the balance between national security and personal freedom,” said Doug Belgrad, head of Columbia Pictures, a Sony division.

“We are extremely proud that Michael, Barbara and Glenn chose Sony to bring this riveting story to the big screen, and believe that Glenn’s account of this incredible international event will make for a gripping and unforgettable film.”

Greenwald, the journalist who broke the Snowden story for Britain’s Guardian newspaper, said the producers “have a successful track record of making thoughtful and nuanced true-life stories that audiences want to see.

“Growing up, I was heavily influenced by political films, and am excited about the opportunity to be part of a political film that will resonate with today’s moviegoers,” he added.

Greenwald, recounting last year’s discussions in Hong Kong with Snowden when he decided to reveal his identity, said the ex-National Security Agency contractor appeared to be “profoundly at peace” with his decision to leak documents.

“Snowden had seemed unbothered” by the prospect of facing US prosecution for releasing the classified materials, Greenwald wrote in excerpts from his book published by the Guardian earlier this week.

The book, subtitled Edward Snowden, the NSA and the US Surveillance State, is being released in Britain by Hamish Hamilton and in the US by Metropolitan Books.