Universal has landed the Chris Pratt pitch The Real McCoy, which became a hotly contested project that found the studio in a battle with Warner Bros. for the rights.
The pitch, written by Bill Dubuque (The Judge), started making the rounds in recent days, but meetings on April 14 and April 15 were canceled after Warners and Universal began bidding aggressively on the action-adventure film. Universal won the rights when it plunked down $1.5 million against $3 million.
The story centers on bootlegger Bill McCoy, whose life inspired the phrase “the real McCoy,” meaning the liquor hadn’t been cut.
The idea originated with producer Tom McNulty, who is producing alongside newly installed on the lot Michael De Luca. McNulty pitched the idea to Dubuque, and the two then pitched it to Pratt, who immediately responded to it enthusiastically. Mark Williams at Zero Gravity is executive producing.
Pratt, who became one of the most in-demand leading men thanks to his breakout role in Guardians of the Galaxy, also garnered headlines in recent days as one of the biggest stars to defect from CAA to UTA in the wake of 11 agents leaving CAA to join UTA.
Dubuque is repped by CAA, Zero Gravity Management’s Eric Williams and attorney Michael Schenkman at Bloom Hergott.
Pratt is additionally handled by Mosaic.
Attorney Jeff Frankel at McKuin Frankel Whitehead negotiated the deal for McNulty.
