Shia LaBeouf has found his next film. The actor will star in the adventure drama “The Peanut Butter Falcon,” sources tell Variety.
Tyler Nilson and Mike Schwartz are on board to direct the indie from their own script.
The film is in the vein of a Mark Twain tale, and follows Zak, a young man with Down syndrome, who runs away from the nursing home where he lives to pursue his dream of becoming a professional wrestler and attending the Saltwater Redneck wrestling school. Through circumstances beyond their control, a small-time outlaw also on the run (to be played by LaBeouf) becomes Zak’s unlikely coach and ally.
Lucky Treehouse Pictures is producing the pic. The movie will likely be sold at the Cannes Film Festival this month.
LaBeouf most recently appeared in “American Honey,” which premiered at last year’s Cannes, and earned LaBeouf some of the best reviews of his career. He also starred in the thriller “Man Down” opposite Jai Courtney.
He can be seen next in the biopic “Borg/McEnroe,” where he will portray John McEnroe. He is repped by CAA, John Crosby Management, and attorney Matthew Saver.
Popular on Variety
Nilson and Schwartz are repped by Management 360 and Bloom Hergott.
