According to Deadline, 20th Century Studios has successfully outbid nine other major studios and streamers for the rights to the film adaptation of Kevin McMullin’s short story Bomb. Alien and Napoleon director Ridley Scott has signed on to helm the project from a screenplay written by McMullin. The deal reportedly cost 20th Century Studios around seven figures.
What is Bomb about?
Described as in the same vein as Dog Day Afternoon and Speed, Bomb centers around a hostage negotiator who gets called into duty the night before his wedding. In addition to directing, Scott will also produced the movie through his Scott Free banner, along with Michael Pruss, Sam Roston, and Rebecca Feuer. 20th Century Studios has also brought in Colin Greten and Catherine Hughes to oversee the project.
“Frankie Ippolito is a hostage negotiator called into duty the night before his wedding in London,” reads the synopsis. “A man who has parked himself in a construction site in Piccadilly Circus is standing on a newly uncovered, unexploded bomb from WWII. He tells local law enforcement he will only speak with Frankie and this sets off a chain of events, where Frankie is drawn into an overnight struggle to stop the bomber with whom he has a past.”