While certain members of the Hollywood elite are hoping to avoid paying a visit to a courtroom, DOWNSIZING director Alexander Payne is looking to create a little legal drama of his own with THE BURIAL, a true-life crime feature for Amazon Studios.
THE BURIAL follows Willie Gary, a successful personal-injury lawyer from Mississippi, as he takes on the case of Jeremiah O'Keefe, the owner of a local chain of funeral homes. O'Keefe claims he had been swindled by a major funeral parlor conglomerate. Also a motivational speaker, Gary is known for taking on David v. Goliath-type cases, winning suits against companies like Disneyland and Anheuser-Busch.
The film will be written by Pulitzer-winning playwright Doug Wright, who's courtroom drama will go on to join a list of other crime-related features such as 12 ANGRY MEN, THE VERDICT, A FEW GOOD MEN, PRIMAL FEAR, PHILADELPHIA, and of course, MY COUSIN VINNY.