LOS ANGELES - George Clooney is attached to star in "The Monster of Florence," an adaptation of a best-selling nonfiction book about a serial killer who roamed the Italian city.

The project is set up at Fox 2000, where "Usual Suspects" scribe Christopher McQuarrie will adapt Douglas Preston and Mario Spezi's book. Clooney and business partner Grant Heslov will produce along with the "American Beauty" duo of Dan Jinks and Bruce Cohen.

At one point, Tom Cruise optioned the rights and set up the project at United Artists, which he was running at the time. Cruise brought McQuarrie aboard.