Netflix has scored a major win by acquiring the legal drama Monsanto, a highly anticipated package from this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Directed by John Lee Hancock, known for his work on The Blind Side and Saving Mr. Banks, the film stars Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern. Monsanto tells the riveting true story of Brent Wisner (Powell), a young, ambitious lawyer who takes on a groundbreaking court case against the U.S. chemical giant Monsanto. Wisner represents Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie), a high school groundskeeper who claims that Monsanto’s top-selling pesticide, Roundup, caused his cancer.
The film also features Laura Dern as Dr. Melinda Rogers, Monsanto’s chief toxicologist, who testifies to the safety of Roundup. Hancock, alongside Michael Wisner and Alexandra Duparc, penned the screenplay. “I was drawn to this contemporary David vs. Goliath true story because I found it dramatic, moving, quite funny and of critical importance in today’s world,” Hancock said prior to the film’s sale. “My ambitions are to deliver a smart, thoughtful, and commercial legal drama that takes the audience on a human journey.”
Powell, whose career has been soaring following the success of Anyone but You and the upcoming action-comedy Hit Man, expressed his enthusiasm for the project.
“I’ve always been fascinated by true stories of ordinary people against extraordinary odds. This story encapsulates that spirit with a critical issue that affects us all, and it’s a privilege to bring it to audiences with an exceptional filmmaker and powerful cast.”
The Monsanto Lawsuit: A Landmark Case
The story of Monsanto centers around the real-life legal battles faced by the company, now owned by Bayer AG, over allegations that their herbicide, Roundup, causes cancer. At the heart of these controversies is glyphosate, the key ingredient in Roundup. One of the most high-profile cases was that of Dewayne Johnson, a former school groundskeeper who claimed that his non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was caused by regular exposure to Roundup and other glyphosate-based herbicides. In 2018, a jury found Monsanto liable, concluding that the herbicide significantly contributed to Johnson’s cancer and that Monsanto failed to warn consumers of the potential risks.
Johnson was initially awarded $289 million in damages, although this was later reduced to $78 million. The case set a precedent and drew significant public attention, highlighting the ongoing debate over the safety of glyphosate and the responsibilities of chemical companies.
Stay tuned to Collider for more updates on Monsanto and other upcoming releases.
via Collider