Universal is developing a movie based on the book Blood Runs Coal: The Yablonski Murders and the Battle for the United Mine Workers of America, which will be led and produced by Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy.
Deadline has reported that Universal finished a preemptive acquisition of Blood Runs Coal, which was written by Mark A. Bradley, on March 8. The film’s script is being written by Jez Butterworth and John-Henry Butterworth, who both worked on the 2014 film Edge of Tomorrow.
The story is set in Pennsylvania in the late 1960s and revolves around labor attorney Chip Yablonski as he tries to find justice for his coal miner/activist father, who was killed following an order from corrupt union leader Tony Boyle. The outlet states that Murphy will play Chip and that he will produce with Alan Moloney through Big Things Films alongside John Davis and Jordan Davis for Davis Entertainment. It will be executive produced by Mark A. Bradley.
What else did Blood Runs Coal’s writers work on?
Both John-Henry Butterworth and Jez Butterworth previously wrote films like Ford v Ferrari, Flag Day, and last year’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny. On his own, Jez’s previous writing credits also include Black Mass and Spectre, while John-Henry also wrote 2015’s Despite the Night.
