Hollywood was buzzing last week that one of the literary world’s powerful firms, the Wylie Agency—which reps powerhouse authors from Martin Amis to Salman Rushdie — is potentially exploring a hushhush sale and that CAA was interested in joining forces. But agency head Andrew Wylie says he’s not selling.
Wylie’s home to literary lions, including Philip Roth, V.S. Naipaul and Milan Kundera, as well as Elmore Leonard, Dave Eggers, Geoff Dyer and the estates of John Updike, Philip K. Dick and William Burroughs.
Sources said William Morris Endeavor and ICM—which already has top book agents Esther Newberg and Amanda “Binky” Urban —have also looked over the deal.
“The mind boggles at an ICM-Wylie monopoly,” said a publishing insider. A film player adds, “If CAA did any deal, it would be an outright purchase. They don’t really have a book department, and thatwould instantly put them head to headwith ICM.”
But Wylie tells us that while he’s explored potential partnerships in the past, no talks with any agencies are on the table.
“The Wylie Agency is not for sale. Nor has it ever been,” he said Friday. “We have discussed mergers and acquisitions in the past but have never been interested in surrendering control through any merger. We are not now in discussions, and I do not foresee entering into discussions about anything other than a joint venture in which the Wylie Agency would retain an equal oramajority shareholding.”
He added that over “the past five or six years” there have been, “a few discussions about a merger or acquisition—ajoint venture” but that “as time passes, we’vebecome less interested” in joining with another firm.
CAA had no comment. A source close to the agency told us, “CAA’s not buying the agency, though they work with Andrew all the time.”
Beyond authors, Wylie reps rockers Bob Dylan, David Bowie and David Byrne, fotog Annie Leibovitz and Henry Kissinger.