John Lee Hancock may direct the McDonald’s origin story The Founder

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

Imagine THE SOCIAL NETWORK crossed with THERE WILL BE BLOOD. Now add a Coke and a side of fries and you have the concept behind THE FOUNDER, a developing movie about the origin and creation of McDonald’s. That’s right, there is a movie being developed about the world famous fast food franchise that is inescapable anywhere you go on Earth. And the movie may have nabbed a director as well.

The Hollywood Reporter says SAVING MR BANKS and THE BLIND SIDE director John Lee Hancock is in negotiations to helm the film which will be produced by Jeremy Renner and Don Handfield from a script by Robert Siegel (BIG FAN).

The Founder is a drama that tells the true story of how Ray Kroc, a salesman from Illinois, met Mac and Dick McDonald, who were running a burger operation in 1950s Southern California. Kroc was impressed by the brothers’ speedy system of making the food and saw franchise potential. He maneuvered himself in a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire.

There are two ways this movie can go down: with or without McDonald’s permission and involvement. One would think if it is going to be a cutthroat film like THERE WILL BE BLOOD or THE SOCIAL NETWORK that the massive corporation may not be willing to provide assistance in the movie getting made and could even try to stop it. On the other hand, if McDonald’s is involved, it may be a candy-coated version of the tale, much like what happened with Hancock’s SAVING MR BANKS at Disney.

In either case, I doubt this film would be as damning as something like FAST FOOD NATION, but it would all depend on whether the focus will stick with the creation of the company or go into the future. This could be an interesting film but I hope it doesn’t open the floodgates for other fast food themed films. I don’t need to know more about Wendy’s, Burger King, or Taco Bell.