DEADLINE – EXCLUSIVE: I’m hearing that Oscar nominee and Avengers star Scarlett Johansson (Marriage Story) is set to lead true-crime thriller Featherwood, which is one of the hottest new scripts ahead of next week’s EFM market in Berlin.

In a role that has some buyers already speculating awards potential, Johansson will portray Carol Blevins, a heroin addict and “Aryan Princess featherwood” (property of a gang member) who became one of the FBI’s most important informants during an epic, six-year investigation into the murderous, neo-Nazi crime and drug syndicate known as the Aryan Brotherhood Of Texas. Blevins, who lived with the gang, memorized details, pre-empted murders and interrupted robberies, helped convict 13 members of the group. However, her harrowing journey left her with significant physical and mental scars and she lives under constant threat of reprisal by the ABT.

The movie is based on the award-winning, six-part Dallas Morning News article by Pulitzer Prize finalist Scott Farwell.

I gather FilmNation is handling sales on the project, which will be directed by American Honey and Big Little Lies director Andrea Arnold, whose early career is marked by hard-hitting dramas such as Fish Tank and Red Road. Cannes Palme d’Or contender American Honey was BAFTA nominated and the filmmaker is currently in post on Bird starring Barry Keoghan.

Johansson will produce with Jonathan Lia and Keenan Flynn under their These Pictures banner. Script comes from Ned Benson, writer-director on Searchlight’s upcoming movie The Greatest Hits, and a writer on Marvel’s Johansson starrer Black Widow.

This is the latest in what is turning into a veritable bonanza in terms of EFM pre-sale titles. And there are interesting reasons for why that may be the case. More on that next week.

Johansson is in post on Paramount’s Transformers One and Sony and Greg Berlanti’s untitled rom-com with Channing Tatum.