Universal has acquired the distribution rights to the action-adventure project The Real McCoy starring Chris Pratt (Guardians of the Galaxy), according to Deadline. The movie will follow bootlegger Bill McCoy, whose life inspired the phrase “The Real McCoy.”
The pitch that Universal bought – which is reportedly what brought Pratt aboard – was written by Bill Dubuque (The Judge), whose also wrote the script for the Ben Affleck/Anna Kendrick drama, The Accountant. Producer Tom McNulty (The Spectacular Now) originated the project and developed the pitch with Dubuque.
Pratt’s attachment definitely helped move the project along, reportedly instigating a competitive bidding war between Universal and Warner Bros. After the success of Guardians of the Galaxy, Pratt’s become one of the go-to leading men for action blockbusters. This summer, audiences can see him Jurassic World and he will star in the remake of The Magnificent Seven.
The Real McCoy is still very much in pre-production. We’ll have more on the project as the director and other key roles are filled.
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