Andrew Garfield & Focus Features Nearing Deals To Join Paul Greengrass Peasant Revolt Movie ‘The Rage’: Cannes Market

EXCLUSIVE: In one of the bigger deals being thrashed out during the Cannes market, we hear that Focus Features is working on a domestic pact in the $11M range for Paul Greengrass‘ peasant revolt movie The Rage.

Two-time Oscar nominee Andrew Garfield is now in active negotiations to join the movie in the lead role, taking over from Matthew McConaughey.

The film is set to take place during the Peasants’ Revolt, a major uprising that took part across large parts of England in 1381 in response to socio-economic and political tensions and high taxation. Should a deal get done, which we understand is likely, Garfield will play a farmer who becomes the leader of the revolt. It has been speculated the character could be based on the legendary Wat Tyler, who led the uprising before being killed by forces loyal to King Richard, though this is unconfirmed.

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Garfield’s English background (the dual UK-US national was raised in the UK) make him a good fit for the project. Between Spider-Man and Hacksaw Ridge, The Social Network and tick tick…BOOM! he has long proven able to mix it between action and prestige roles which connect with audiences and garner significant box office. He is coming off romantic-drama We Live In Time, which took close to $60M worldwide and will next be seen opposite Julia Roberts in Luca Guadagnino’s After The Hunt.

Oscar nominee Greengrass, well known for the Bourne franchise and movies such as Captain Phillips and United 93, is scripting the project. Jason Blum is producing through Blumhouse Productions, with Greg Goodman, Joanna Kaye and Greengrass. CAA Media Finance is repping domestic with WME Independent. FilmNation is selling international. Focus has been into the project for a while and began talks at EFM.

Blum and Goodman recently teamed on Greengrass’ upcoming movie The Lost Bus for Apple.

Focus is coming off a busy and lucrative awards season thanks to Conclave and Nosferatu. It’s at the Cannes Festival with Wes Anderson’s Phoenician Scheme and The History Of Sound and there are high hopes later this year for movies such as Hamnet, Bugonia, and the next Downton Abbey installment.

Reps and dealmakers declined to comment.