Austin Butler's City on Fire enters pre-production

Elvis star Austin Butler's next project City on Fire has entered pre-production. The film is an adaptation of Don Winslow’s novel from Sony 3000 Pictures. 

Butler will also serve as a producer on the movie, his first producing credit, alongside David Heyman and Shane Salerno. 

According to Deadline, Sony has made this a high priority and will be meeting with writers and filmmakers quickly.

The novel takes elements of The Iliad, Odyssey, Aeneid and Greek tragic dramas and places them in a world of contemporary crime in which two criminal empires, together, control all of New England. One day, a stunning woman comes between the Irish and the Italians, resulting in a war that sees them destroy their alliance, kill each other, and set a city on fire.

The film’s main character, Danny Ryan (played by Austin Butler), wants more for his life. However, as the raging conflict continues to turn brother against brother, only furthering the body count, Danny must rise above himself. If he’s going to save the friends as well as the family he has sworn to protect, he must become a leader. Whoever wins, will forge a dynasty.

City on Fire is the first novel in Winslow's trilogy, which was published in April 2022. The second book in the trilogy, City of Dreams, will be published on April 18, 2023.