Glen Powell film ‘Monsanto’ sells to Netflix in big Cannes deal

Glen Grey/Getty/Mark Seliger

Netflix struck a deal worth around $34 million for the John Lee Hancock-directed package. Monsanto, we can reveal. The pic will star Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie and Oscar winner Laura Dern.

CAA Media Finance has reduced the pre-sale after launching with Rocket Science last week. Netflix has been quieter in recent markets, but is back at the table with this spectacular deal.

peak Tenzing are the two largest transactions carried out so far on the Cannes market. The latter would be of the order of 40 million dollars.

Monsanto tells the true story of untold young lawyer Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against American chemical giant Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) who used the best-known product from Monsanto, Roundup, an extremely financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, through his job as a high school gardener. During the trial, Dr. Melinda Rogers (Dern), Monsanto’s chief toxicologist, testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe.

The picture’s screenplay was developed in collaboration with Karl Spoerri’s Zurich Avenue and written by Michael Wisner, Alexandra Duparc, Ned Benson and Hancock. Producers are Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin alongside Adam McKay and Kevin Messick of HyperObject Industries.

Man of the Moment Powell recently said of the project: “I have always been fascinated by true stories of ordinary people against extraordinary odds. This story encapsulates that spirit with a crucial issue that concerns us all. And it’s a privilege to bring it to audiences with an exceptional filmmaker and a powerful cast.

Dern previously added: “I loved my collaborations with John Lee and look forward to working with him again. There couldn’t be a more vital story to be a part of.

Hancock said: “I was drawn to this contemporary true story of David versus Goliath because I found it dramatic, moving, quite funny and critically important in today’s world. My ambitions are to deliver an intelligent, thoughtful and commercial legal drama that takes the audience on a human journey.

McKay said: “These days, stories of ‘little guys’ taking on huge institutions seem rare, both in real life and on the big screen. So when a story as captivating and inspiring as this one appears on our desks, we get excited. For what? Because people love and need these films. They always have and always will. Erin Brockovitch, Silkwood, It’s a wonderful life, Projector, 12 angry men, silver ball, Norma Rae …I legitimately think I can list 200 much-loved and blockbuster films about real people battling overwhelming odds with only fairness and truth on their side. So let’s create number 201.”

Powell recently starred in Sony’s Cash Cow Anyone but you opposite Sydney Sweeney, as well as Tom Cruise’s highest-grossing film of all time, the $1.49 billion film Top Gun: Maverick. He also stars in Richard Linklater’s upcoming film Hitman on Netflix, which the actor produced and co-wrote with the filmmaker. Powell will next star in this summer’s Universal/Warner Bros tentpole, Tornadoes.

Mackie will make his big screen debut as Captain America in Marvel Studios/Disney’s Captain America: Brave New World in February. The actor has played Sam Wilson/The Falcon in the MCU in photos such as Captain America: Winter Soldier And Avengers: Endgame. He became Eminem’s archenemy in Curtis Hanson’s film. 8 miles and starred in Kathryn Bigelow’s Oscar-winning Best Picture The Hurt Locker. Mackie recently appeared in Peacock’s hit action comedy Twisted metalin which he starred and executive produced.

Dern is an Academy Award, Screen Actors Guild, Emmy, Golden Globe and BAFTA winning actress. She has starred in critical and commercial successes such as Noah Baumbach’s. Marriage story; Greta Gerwig Little woman; The success of HBO Big little liesthat of Steven Spielberg jurassic park; Rian Johnson’s Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi; among many others. She recently served as executive producer and starred in “Palm Royale” for Apple TV+, and will next appear in “Lonely Planet” for Netflix; as well as an Untitled Noah Baumbach project for Netflix.

Hancock directed Sandra Bullock’s Oscar-winning Best Actress The blind side which he wrote about and received an Academy Award nomination. Additional directing credits include Saving Mr. Banks with Emma Thompson and Tom Hanks, one of AFI’s Top Ten Films of the Year; Highwaymen with Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson; And The small things starring Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto, which he also wrote.