Picture Credits: Getty Images
Jonathan Bailey, Laura Dern, and a newly announced ensemble including LaKeith Stanfield and David Duchovny will star in Netflix’s upcoming legal drama film, currently operating as the Untitled John Lee Hancock Monsanto Film. Filming has officially begun in Germany on the underdog story. Here’s everything we know so far about the upcoming legal drama on Netflix.
Formerly titled Monsanto, the Untitled John Lee Hancock Monsanto Film is an upcoming Netflix Original legal drama directed and co-written by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), based on the real-life landmark legal case between the chemical giant Monsanto and groundskeeper Dewayne “Lee” Johnson. Ned Benson, Alexandra Duparc, and Michael Wisner are the writers alongside Hancock. Netflix acquired the rights to the film in a massive deal valued at $34 million.
The film’s producers include Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Jon Levin, and Philip Schulz-Deyle, alongside Adam McKay and Kevin Messick for HyperObject Industries. Karl Spoerri serves as an Executive Producer. Zurich Avenue has joined as a studio partner, alongside Munich-based KrautPack Entertainment, who is producing from the German side, and Onda Entertainment as the American co-production partner.
What is the plot of the Untitled Monsanto Film?
Here’s the best sourced synopsis thus far:
The film tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Bailey), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson who used Monsanto’s best-known product Roundup, a wildly financially successful weed and grass pesticide killer, as part of his job as a high school groundskeeper. During the trial, Dr. Melinda Rogers (Dern), the chief toxicologist of the Monsanto Company, testifies with certainty that Roundup is safe.
The Real-Life Case Behind the Film:
The film is deeply rooted in the 2018 legal battle brought forward by Johnson and the trial team at Wisner Baum LLP. In a landmark verdict, a San Francisco jury found Monsanto liable for failing to warn Johnson about the cancer risks associated with Roundup and awarded him $289.2 million in damages.
The trial brought intense public scrutiny to the “Monsanto Papers”—thousands of pages of internal company records obtained through discovery that revealed ghostwritten studies, regulatory manipulation, and attacks on independent scientists.
The real-life Brent Wisner recently shared his thoughts on the film adaptation:
The courthouse is one of the few places where an individual can humble the most powerful, the most controlling organizations in the world. This film highlights what can happen when ordinary people demand accountability and have the opportunity to present their case before a jury… Dewayne Johnson’s case showed that one person can stand up to a global corporation and be heard. We’re honored that his story and this important chapter of legal history will now reach audiences around the world.
Who are the cast members?
(Note: Glen Powell and Anthony Mackie were originally attached to star as Brent Wisner and Dewayne Johnson, respectively, but both departed the project prior to production due to scheduling conflicts).
Jonathan Bailey plays Brent Wisner. Stepping in for Powell, Bailey is currently one of the most sought-after actors in the industry. He is best known to Netflix subscribers for his fan-favorite role as Anthony Bridgerton in Bridgerton. He has also received widespread acclaim for his Emmy-winning turn in Fellow Travelers and stars in Universal’s two-part Wicked movie adaptation.
Laura Dern plays Dr. Melinda Rogers. The actress is no stranger to Netflix, having starred in films such as Marriage Story, for which she won an Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. She also starred in the romantic drama Lonely Planet and will star in Noah Baumbach’s next Netflix film, Jay Kelly.
Dern previously shared her thoughts on joining:
“I’ve loved my collaborations with John Lee and look forward to working with him again. There couldn’t be a more vital story to be a part of.”
New Cast Additions:
As of June 2026, John Lee Hancock has rounded out the cast with six massive additions. While character details are officially being kept under wraps, it is highly likely that one of these actors (potentially Stanfield) will be stepping into the role of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson following Anthony Mackie’s departure. The newly announced cast includes:
- LaKeith Stanfield (Roofman, Judas and the Black Messiah)
- David Duchovny (The X-Files, See You When I See You)
- Greg Kinnear (Margo’s Got Money Troubles)
- Julia McDermott (The 99’ers)
- Melonie Diaz (Roofman)
- Bilal Hasna (The Agency)
What is the production status?
After a period of quiet development and cast reshuffling, production on the Untitled Monsanto Film is officially underway!
Cameras officially rolled on June 15, 2026, and filming is scheduled to run through August 15, 2026. Director John Lee Hancock is shooting the courtroom drama on location in Bavaria, Germany.
The move overseas was supported by the regional film fund FFF Bayern, which backed the international co-production with 500,000 euros ($589,000). The FFF Film Commission has been assisting the crew with their locations. Academy Award-nominated cinematographer John Schwartzman (Seabiscuit, Jurassic World) serves as the Director of Photography, while Nancy Valle boards as the Executive in Charge of Post Production.
When is the film coming to Netflix?
Netflix has yet to announce an official release date for the project. Given that filming will wrap up in August 2026, the movie will likely be in post-production for the remainder of the year.
Because of this, we expect we’ll be waiting until sometime in 2027 for the release of the Untitled Monsanto Film on Netflix.
Are you looking forward to watching this legal drama on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
