Back in May, it was announced that Take Shelter director Jeff Nichols was seriously consideringStar Trek’s Chris Pine to take the lead in his follow-up drama, Mud. Now it looks like Pine is out and Matthew McConaughey is in, with Reese Witherspoon and Tye Sheridan also in talks.
Nicols also wrote the script for the film, which finds the titular, charismatic fugitive (McConaughey) on the run from both lawmen and some very tough bounty hunters. Along the way, he strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 14-year-old lad (Tree of Life's Sheridan). Though he realises that Mud isn’t exactly the sort of role model a teenager should be following, the boy decides to help Mud reunite with soul mate Juniper (Witherspoon). And guess what? Everyone learns something…
Everest Entertainment is backing this one, with founder Lisa Maria Falcone explaining her excitement in a statement: “Jeff Nichols has written a beautiful story with rich characters learning valuable lessons through life-changing circumstances. With Jeff’s vision, this will be a work of art. It’s an incredible script which Jeff, along with Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and Tye Sheridan, will bring to life.” That’s the plan, at least…