Matt Damon is teaming up with the director of ‘Spotlight’

Matt Damon arrives for the World premiere of Marvel Studios’ “Avengers: Endgame” at the Los Angeles Convention Center on April 22, 2019, in Los Angeles. Image: AFP/Valerie Macon via AFP Relaxnews

Matt Damon is teaming up with Tom McCarthy, who won an Oscar in 2016 for “Spotlight” to star in “Stillwater”. Filming should begin next month.

In “Stillwater,” Damon will take on the role of Bill, an Oklahoma oil-rig worker who travels to the French city of Marseille to visit his daughter, who is in prison for a murder she denies having committed. In spite of language and cultural barriers, not to mention a complex judiciary, the father will do everything in his power to speak to his daughter. Amid his uphill battle, Bill meets a French woman, as well as his granddaughter, embarking on a self-discovery journey.

In addition to directing the feature film, McCarthy co-wrote the script alongside Frenchmen Thomas Bidegain (“A Prophet”) and Noé Debré (“Dheepan”) and will be producing the film in partnership with Participant Media. Universal Pictures International will be distributing the production worldwide. At press time, only Damon has been confirmed as being part of the cast.

“This is a wonderful script, centered on universal themes of connection and the search for truth, and we could not be more excited to bring it to audiences around the world,” said David Linde, the CEO of Participant, who had worked with McCarthy on “Spotlight”, which was awarded Oscars for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay in 2016. Damon had been called upon to play in the film but had to pull out due to scheduling issues.

In the meantime, Damon will be appearing in James Mangold’s “Ford v Ferrari” (a.k.a. Le Mans ’66) alongside Christian Bale. HM/JB

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