Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, Laura Dern to Star in Legal Drama ‘Monsanto’

Glen Powell’s newfound star power continues to fuel movie projects.

The Anyone But You actor will lead a cast that includes Anthony Mackie and Laura Dern to headline Monsanto, a legal drama from writer-director John Lee Hancock.  

Rocket Science, the company that has been integral to the financing and producing of movies such as All Quiet on the Western Front and Ricky Stanicky, will launch international sales out of the Cannes Film Market later this month. CAA Media Finance is handling the domestic rights.

Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are producing via their HyperObject Industries banner. Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle and Jon Levin are also producing.

Per the producers, Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie). Johnson used the company’s best-known product, Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper and is now suffering illnesses.

Dern will play a Monsanto’s chief toxicologist who, of course, testifies that the product is safe.  

“These days stories about the ‘little guy’ taking on huge institutions seem few and far between, both in real life and on the big screen,” said McKay in a statement. “So, when a story as riveting and inspiring as this one shows up on our desks we get excited. Why? Because people love and need these movies. They always have and always will. Erin Brockovich, Silkwood, It’s a Wonderful Life, Spotlight, 12 Angry Men, Moneyball, Norma Rae… I legitimately think I can list 200 wildly successful and beloved films about real people standing up against overwhelming odds with only fairness and truth on their side. So, let’s make number 201.”

Powell is on a hot streak with few modern parallels. While he has appeared in numerous movies such as Hidden Figures, Everybody Wants Some and Top Gun: Maverick, it’s thanks to a breakout in Sony’s rom-com Anyone But You that has made him among Hollywood’s most wanted leading men. He will next be seen in Netflix’ breezy Hit Man, which he produced and co-wrote with director Richard Linklater, then he will chase tornadoes in Universal’s Twisters. He is shooting dark revenge drama Huntington in South Africa this spring.

Mackie is best known for starring as  Sam Wilson/The Falcon in Marvel movies Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Avengers: Endgame. He dons the star-spangled shield in Captain America: Brave New World, which is currently scheduled to be released in February 2025. Mackie also recently starred in action comedy Twisted Metal which streamed on Peacock.

Dern in recent years has appeared in Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and HBO hit Big Little Lies. She recently executive produced and starred in Palm Royale for Apple TV+.

Hancock’s recent work has included true-life Disney story Saving Mr. Banks, and The Highwaymen with Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson. He is also known for football drama The Blind Side.

Powell is repped by CAA and Johnson Shapiro. Mackie is repped by UTA and Inspire Entertainment while Dern is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, Johnson Shapiro. Hancock is repped by CAA, LBI Entertainment, and Del Shaw.