Sawyer Spielberg, recently seen alongside Dakota Johnson and Pedro Pascal in Celine Song’s “Materialists,” has landed his first major lead role.
The actor — who also appeared in “Masters of the Air” (and is the son of director Steven Spielberg and actress Kate Capshaw) — is set to star in gritty crime drama “Once Upon a Time in Hell’s Kitchen” from Irish filmmaker and author Colin Broderick (“Emerald City,” “The Writing Irish of New York”) and based on Broderick’s own novel of the same name. Sawyer will also exec produce.
Set against the brutal backdrop of Hell’s Kitchen in the late 1970s, “Once Upon a Time in Hell’s Kitchen” will follows local boxer, Danny ‘Boy’ McCoy (Sawyer), as he bids to land one great fight to help him escape a neighborhood being torn apart by a bloodthirsty turf-war between The Westies and the Mob. But poverty, crime, old friendships, loyalty and love threaten to drag McCoy spiraling into darker and more desperate circumstances. Described as “Mean Streets meets Raging Bull,” the film, according to the synopsis, “combines raw, character-driven drama with the combustible energy of a forgotten chapter in New York’s history.”
Joining Sawyer in an ensemble cast are Rae Broderick (“Emerald City”), Micheál Neeson (“Made in Italy”), Billy Howle (“The Perfect Couple”), John Connors (“Cardboard Gangsters”), John Duddy (“Emerald City”), Holt McCallany (“Mindhunter,” “Lights Out”), Rachael Taylor (“Jessica Jones,” “Transformers”), and Craig Walker (“The Penguin”).
Filming is set to take place in New York, with Fishbird Producing in association with Heart of
Darkness Pictures.
The film is produced by Noah C. Haeussner (“Arctic,” “Here Are The Young Men”), with executive producers Fishbird, Scott Swiontek, Yadeed Mellman, Broderick and Spielberg, with support from Sky Johnson as associate producer. Brandon Cox is onboard as director of photography.
“I’ve long been fascinated by the history of the Irish in America, but the saga of the Westies has always haunted me,” said Broderick. “With Once Upon a Time in Hell’s Kitchen I wanted to put a human face on that story — this was a real neighborhood, and these were real people.”
“The history and world Colin has created, and the remarkable cast we have assembled, is a testament to the passion behind this project. Audiences have no idea what is coming,” said Haeussner.
Added Spielberg: “Stories like this aren’t just about crime or violence—they’re about the people caught in
the middle, trying to survive, trying to escape, trying to hold on to who they are. I’m honored to help bring Colin’s vision to the screen.”
Spielberg is represented by Scott Swiontek at Swiontek Entertainment and Kenneth Garrett at Gang, Tyre, Ramer, Brown & Passman, Inc. Haeussner is represented by Mike de Trana at Anvil Entertainment.