With several industry and festival screenings under its belt, "Trumbo" producers were encouraged to seek major distribution for the film adaptation of the Off-Broadway work penned by the screenwriter's son, Christopher Trumbo. Samuel Goldwyn Films and the original content division of Netflix, Red Envelope Entertainment, have picked up the film – readying for a major release this spring.

"Trumbo" is culled from the letters of the Academy Award-winning screenwriter, telling the story of one of the "Hollywood Ten" who went before the House Un-American Activities Committee. After refusing to answer questions about his political affiliations, Trumbo was fired from MGM and imprisoned for a year.

The film version features conversations with the producers of Trumbo's films, including archival footage of Otto Preminger, a recent interview with Kirk Douglas, and archival interviews with Trumbo himself.

Among the A-list actors who read from the late screenwriters work and letters are Joan Allen, Brian Dennehy, Michael Douglas, Paul Giamatti, Nathan Lane, Josh Lucas, Liam Neeson, David Straithairn and Donald Sutherland. Peter Askin, who directed the work Off-Broadway, repeats his duties for the film.

Trumbo played Off-Broadway with Nathan Lane in the title role, later replaced by a rotating cast of actors including F. Murray Abraham, Brian Dennehy, Gore Vidal, Richard Dreyfuss, Roger Rees, Robert Loggia, Christopher Lloyd, Michael Richards and Chris Cooper. Gordon McDonald played in the show's other role of Narrator/Christopher. Dalton Trumbo wrote such screenplays as "Exodus," "Spartacus," "Roman Holiday," "The Brave One" and "Papillon," as well as the novel "Johnny Got His Gun," which was recently adapted for film.