It was promised yesterday, and now there’s confirmation that David Fincher is set to direct “Bitterroot” (formerly known as Big Hole), a Western crime thriller for Netflix (via What’s on Netflix’s Casey Moore).
Michael Gilio wrote the script, which was originally part of the 2008 Black List. Reviews of the original script can be found online, including on Script Shadow, almost all of them praising the material. Gilio’s writing credits include “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves” and “Dark Harvest.”
The film is said to concern an old rancher whose life savings have been stolen. He decides to get his money back by robbing banks and hunting down the thieves, all while being chased down by his son, who happens to be the sheriff. Moore’s sources have described the film as being similar to Clint Eastwood’s “Unforgiven”.
Offers have been made to two leads actors for the upcoming movie, and this will likely be Fincher’s next project, to begin production soon.
Fincher, who recently renewed his Netflix contract until 2027, has at least four different projects in various stages of development at Netflix, including “Squid Game: America” and his “Chinatown” prequel series. He’s released two films with the streamer: 2020’s “Mank” and 2023’s “The Killer.”
Fincher’s tidy friendship with Netflix has not been met with approval by everyone. Earlier in the year, Cannes boss Thierry Fremaux stated that Fincher had “left cinema” and that it’s now as if “he doesn’t exist anymore” in the film world.
Fincher pushed back on the criticism he’s been getting by many. In an interview with Le Monde, he seemed to firmly believe that Netflix was the best place in Hollywood to make movies. There was no hesitation on his part. He called Netflix the “industry standard” and the “best place” to make movies in Hollywood.