Picture: Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern will lead Netflix’s film Monsanto.
Glen Powell, Anthony Mackie, and Laura Dern will star in Netflix’s legal drama film, Monsanto. Filming has yet to begin on the underdog story, but we expect production to start sometime this year. Here’s everything we know so far about Monsanto on Netflix.
Monsanto is an upcoming Netflix Original legal drama movie directed and co-written by John Lee Hancock (The Blind Side), based on the real-life legal case between the chemical giant Monsanto and groundskeeper Dewayne 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 are Moritz Borman, Eric Kopeloff, Philip Schulz-Deyle, and Jon Levin. Adam McKay and Kevin Messick are also producers for HyperObject Industries.
What is the plot of Monsanto?
The synopsis for Monsanto has been sourced from Deadline:
“Monsanto tells the true story of young, untried attorney Brent Wisner (Powell), who takes on a seemingly insurmountable case against the giant U.S. chemical company Monsanto on behalf of Dewayne “Lee” Johnson (Mackie) 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.”
Who are the cast members of Monsanto?
So far, only three lead actors have been confirmed for Monsanto: Glen Powell, Laura Dern, and Anthony Mackie.
Glen Powell plays Brent Wisner. Powell has quickly become one of Hollywood’s most popular actors thanks to his performances in films such as Hit Man, Top Gun: Maverick, Twisters, and Anyone But You.
Powell shared the following statement about the project:
“I’ve always been fascinated by true stories of ordinary people against extraordinary odds. This story encapsulates that spirit with a critical issue that affects us all. And it’s a privilege to bring it to audiences with an exceptional filmmaker and powerful cast.”
Picture: Glen Powell in Top Gun: Maverick (left), Hit Man (centre), and Twisters (right)
Anthony Mackie plays Dewayne ‘Lee’ Johnson. Mackie is undoubtedly no stranger to Netflix, having starred in multiple films for the streaming service, including Io, Point Blank, Outside the Wire, The Woman in the Window, We Have a Ghost, and The Electric State. Outside of Netflix, he is most well-known for his role as Sam Wilson, aka Falcon/Captain America.
Mackie also shared his excitement about the project:
“These days stories about the ‘little guy’ taking on huge institutions seem few and far between, both in real life and on the big screen. So, when a story as riveting and inspiring as this one shows up on our desks, we get excited. Why? Because people love and need these movies. They always have and always will. Erin Brockovich, Silkwood, It’s a Wonderful Life, Spotlight, 12 Angry Men, Moneyball, Norma Rae … I legitimately think I can list 200 wildly successful and beloved films about real people standing up against overwhelming odds with only fairness and truth on their side. So let’s make Number 201.”
Picture: Anthony Mackie in Io (left), Captain America: Brave New World (Centre,) and We Have a Ghost (right)
Laura Dern plays Dr. Melinda Rogers. The actress is also 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. She was also the voice of Sue Murphy in Bill Burr’s adult animated series F is for Family.
Dern shared her thoughts, too:
“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.”
Picture: Laura Dern in Marriage Story (left), Jurassic World: Dominion (centre), and Lonely Planet (right)
What is the production status of Monsanto?
IMDb has listed the project as being in pre-production as early as August 2024. So, what is taking so long for the production to start on Monsanto? Without question, this is due to the hectic schedule of star Glen Powell, who is currently one of the most in-demand actors in Hollywood.
For almost a year, Powell has been busy filming projects back to back to back to back:
- Huntington – Filmed between June and August 2024.
- Chad Powers – Filmed between August and December 2024.
- The Running Man – Filmed between November 2024 and March 2025.
- Ghostwriter (WT) – Filming started in March 2025 and is still scheduled to end by August 2025.
Considering all the upcoming projects to which the three lead actors are attached, the most likely project to begin filming next is Monsanto. Ghostwriter (WT) ends for Powell in August 2025, and so too does Avengers: Doomsday, where Anthony Mackie is reprising his role as Sam “Captain America” Wilson.
For now, we await official confirmation from Netflix, but we expect filming to begin anytime after August 2025.
When is Monsanto coming to Netflix?
Netflix has yet to announce an official release date for Monsanto. Given that filming hasn’t begun yet and could take up a significant portion of what remains of 2025, the likelihood is that we’ll be waiting until late 2026 at the earliest for the release of Monsanto on Netflix.
Are you looking forward to watching Monsanto on Netflix? Let us know in the comments below!
