Austin Butler to play Danny Ryan in screen adaptation of novel 'City on Fire'

Austin Butler will be playing the lead role in the screen adaptation of Don Winslow's 2022 novel City on Fire, reported via Deadline.

The Oscar nominee has signed on to produce his first-ever project with 3000 Pictures and Sony Pictures Entertainment, alongside David Heyman and Shane Salerno.

For the upcoming project, the Elvis star will transform into Danny Ryan, a street soldier-turned-merciless boss of an Irish-American crime family warring with an Italian-American crime family for control over New England - starting with Rhode Island.

As per Deadline, City on Fire - first installment was published in April 2022, and the second book in the trilogy, City of Dreams, will be published April 18.

Winslow shared his thoughts, saying, “like so many people around the world, I was amazed by Austin Butler's Oscar-nominated performance in Elvis.”

3000 head Elizabeth Gabler said, “We are elated that venerable producer David Heyman, alongside Austin Butler, will join forces with Shane Salerno to make Don Winslow’s spectacular trilogy, starting with City on Fire.”

“Don is an iconic novelist and a true master of the genre of suspenseful crime fiction and has created one of the most memorable modern-day heroes in Danny Ryan, the complex and compelling protagonist of this trilogy. It is a dream come true to envision Austin, with his uniquely brilliant and charismatic talent, bringing this character and story to cinematic life.”

Butler will next be seen in Dune: Part Two, the Jeff Nichol-directed The Bikeriders and Apple TV’s miniseries Masters of Air.