STXfilms has picked up U.S. rights to Matthew McConaughey’s British crime drama “Bush,” with Guy Ritchie directing and producing, for $7 million.
The project, formerly known as “Toff Guys,” also stars Hugh Grant, Colin Farrell, Charlie Hunnam, Henry Golding, and Michelle Dockery. The deal was in the works in Berlin and has just been completed.
Variety first reported in October that McConaughey would star as a British drug lord attempting to cash out of his highly profitable drug empire by selling it off to a dynasty of Oklahoma billionaires. Miramax paid $30 million to pick up worldwide rights to the drama at the Cannes Film Festival and STX began negotiations for the U.S. rights during the Berlin Film Festival.
Production began in the fall in England. “Bush” is in the vein of the British gangster titles “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch” that helped launch Ritchie’s career. He’s directing from a script that he co-wrote with Marn Davies and Ivan Atkinson.
Golding is playing a Vietnamese gangster and Grant is portraying a blackmailing photographer. Farrell is portraying a trainer of MMA fighters. Dockery replaced Kate Beckinsale as the wife of McConaughey’s character.
McConaughey was most recently seen in “White Boy Rick” and “Serenity” with Anne Hathaway. He’ll be seen next in Harmony Korine’s “The Beach Bum,” due out from Neon on March 29.
CAA Media Finance brokered the deal. The news was first reported by Deadline Hollywood.