Jonathan Majors, Glen Powell War Film 'Devotion' Nabbed By Sony

JD Dillard directs the film that STXinternational will present to foreign buyers at TIFF

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“Lovecraft Country” star Jonathan Majors and Glen Powell are set to star in a war epic based on a true story called “Devotion,” and Sony Pictures has picked up the North American rights while STXinternational will handle the film’s foreign rights at the TIFF virtual market.

JD Dillard (“Sleight”) will direct the film that stars Majors and Powell as elite U.S. Navy fighter pilots during the Cold War in the 1950s. Principal photography is expected to begin in February 2021.

“Devotion” is based on a true story and a book by Adam Makos and comes from a screenplay by Jake Crane and Jonathan A. Stewart, with revisions by Dillard. Here’s the full synopsis:

In 1950, as the Cold War threatens international peace and racial inequality creates tension across the U.S., two young pilots from different worlds are accepted into an elite squadron for training – one is Tom Hudner, a clean-cut, all-American soldier who decided to forgo Harvard to join the Navy. The other is Jesse Brown, a fiercely talented pilot, who would become the first African American to fly in combat for the US Navy. Initiated together into the VF-32 squadron, Tom and Jesse are pushed to their limits to become the best pilots, testing and flying a new design of fighter jets. Within the tight brotherhood of the squadron, Tom and Jesse form a firm friendship; one that will be tested on the heated battlefield, when one of them is shot down behind enemy lines. A human story of bravery, sacrifice and brotherhood, “Devotion” is an intense, thrilling, and ultimately moving story about two of the Navy’s most celebrated wingmen.

“Devotion” will be produced by Molly Smith, Rachel Smith, Thad Luckinbill and Trent Luckinbill for Black Label Media, who are also fully financing. Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions acquired the film, and Sony Pictures will distribute in North America. STXinternational, a division of STX Entertainment, is handling international distribution, as well as directly distributing in the UK and Ireland. CAA Media Finance brokered the deal with STX.

“We are thrilled to be partnering with both Sony Pictures and STX International to bring this epic story to the big screen. JD Dillard is one of the most exciting filmmakers in the business and brings an extraordinary vision to this film in combination with our talented cast,” Black Label Media’s Molly Smith said in a statement.

Majors broke out this year with his role in Spike Lee’s “Da 5 Bloods” and as the star of HBO’s “Lovecraft Country.” He’ll next be seen in “The Harder They Fall” with Idris Elba.

Powell is known for his roles in “Hidden Figures,” “Set It Up” and “Everybody Wants Some!!,” and he’ll next be seen in “Top Gun: Maverick.”

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