According to Deadline, Fox Searchlight is acquiring North American and U.K. distribution rights to The Old Man and the Gun. David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon) directs from his own screenplay, which he based on a New Yorker true-story article by David Grann.
Robert Redford (Truth), an Honorary Academy Award recipient and Academy Award-winning director, stars in the title role as Forrest Tucker, bank robber since his teens with a history of over a dozen daring prison escapes over his lifetime, including from San Quentin at age 70. The film focuses on his elderly years, moving to a retirement home after his colorful past, and still gunning for continuing bank heists to spice things up. Lowery, who directed Redford in Pete’s Dragon, reportedly custom-crafted the comedy-drama to fit the veteran actor. Casey Affleck, winner of this year’s Academy Award for Best Actor (Manchester by the Sea) plays detective charmed by Tucker. Academy Award-winning actress Sissy Spacek (The Help) plays a woman in love with Tucker. Deadline also reported today that Tika Sumpter (Southside With You) has joined the ensemble cast as well.
Redford is producing, along with Bill Holderman, Conde Nast Entertainment’s Dawn Ostroff and Jeremy Steckler, Identity’s Anthony Mastromauro, and Endgame’s Jim Stern. Lucas Smith, Julie Goldstein, Patrick Newall, Toby Halbrooks and James Johnston at Sailor Bear are executive producing.
Referring to Redford, Stern said, “The film seems a wonderful epilogue to many of the great films he has made. The cast has come together so strongly, and we think this is going to be a great one.”
The Old Man and the Gun is currently in pre-production and is aiming for a 2018 release.
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