Jeremy Renner will take on the Sacklers in a new drama about the investigative journalist who exposed Purdue Pharma’s role in the opioid epidemic, Deadline reports. The latest project to tackle the devastating effects of OxyContin is currently being sold in the Cannes Market.
Renner will star as David Armstrong, the real-life Pulitzer Prize winner who uncovered evidence that the Sackler family was complicit in suppressing information about the highly addictive nature of OxyContin. Armstrong’s years-long investigation exposed Purdue’s prioritization of profit over the lives of hundreds of thousands of Americans who have died of prescription painkiller related overdoses.
Per Deadline, the script is being written by married partners Aron Gaudet and Gita Pullapilly, who said in a statement, “The real David Armstrong is a man of utmost integrity. We could not be more thrilled to have Jeremy on board to infuse that same integrity into his portrayal of David. We’re excited to work with such a great team to bring this story to a global audience.”
The project will reunite Renner with 101 Studios, which produces Mayor Of Kingstown. CEO David C. Glasser stated he “can’t think of anyone better than Jeremy Renner to bring David Armstrong’s vital story to audiences.”
Julie Yorn, Head of Production for Expended Media/LBI Entertainment also released a statement saying, “David Armstrong’s honor and conviction are a model of what we should all aspire to, and an example of the importance of speaking truth to power. Aron and Gita’s remarkable vision and passion for this story has found its perfect match in Jeremy Renner. We are proud to be working in partnership with the entire team at 101 on this important story.”
Get the sleep you deserve
Restflix is a revolutionary streaming service designed to help users fall asleep faster and rest better. With 10+ personalized channels full of sleep meditations, bedtime stories, calming visuals, and binaural beats to harness the brain’s responsiveness to sound and help create a meditative, restful state. Through the use of sleep meditations, bedtime stories, peaceful and serene natural views, and sounds, better sleep is achievable. Along with using Restflix for developing better sleep habits, it can also be a great tool for relaxation and mental healing.
As for Armstrong himself, he said he is “gratified that a movie audience will learn of the story behind this crisis, which has ruined so many lives. I am impressed with the vision Gita and Aron have for making this film and thrilled that an actor of Jeremy’s talent and ability will be a major part of telling this story.”