Matthew McConaughey, Austin Butler & Pedro Pascal’s Western Finally Finds a Studio
A long-gestating Western featuring Matthew McConaughey, Austin Butler, and Pedro Pascal has finally got studio backing. The movie, Brigands of Rattlecreek, was sold at Cannes in a bidding war.
The Brigands of Rattlecreek sells to Warner Bros’ new label Clockwork
Warner Bros’ new label Clockwork fought off suitors to land North American rights of The Brigands of Rattlecreek, with the agreement reportedly in the mid-teens millions. Exclusive negotiations are underway, and the deal is almost complete.
South Korean director Park Chan-wook will helm the feature. The cast includes Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, Oscar nominee Austin Butler, four-time Emmy nominee Pedro Pascal, and Chinese actress Tang Wei. Park Chan-wook adapted the screenplay from S. Craig Zahler’s original Black List script, completing revisions on the most recent draft. Zahler previously wrote and directed the acclaimed 2015 Western Bone Tomahawk.
Brigands of Rattlecreek follows a small-town sheriff and a doctor who set out for revenge after a gang of bandits uses a massive thunderstorm as cover to tear through their community. It’s classic Park Chan-wook territory, aka cycles of violence, the weight of memory, the ties that bind families together, just transplanted onto the American frontier (via Deadline).
Filming is reportedly scheduled to begin in 2027’s first quarter. The budget is said to exceed $60 million, and the studio is planning a wide theatrical release through Clockwork. This Warner Bros division is oriented toward auteur filmmakers with crossover appeal. The label’s other confirmed project is Sean Baker’s upcoming film, Ti Amo!
The screenplay for Brigands of Rattlecreek has circulated through Hollywood for over two decades. Park Chan-wook pursued it for more than 10 years. Warner Bros. and Amazon each held rights at different points, but neither iteration materialized. Now, the combination of A-list leads, a revered director, and a commercially viable genre made the package one of the most sought-after acquisitions.
Source: Comingsoon.net