THR has learned Michael Keaton (who just received an Oscar nomination for his performance in BIRDMAN) is in talks to play McDonald's tycoon Ray Kroc in THE FOUNDER. John Lee Hancock is attached to direct the film from a script by Robert D. Siegel (BIG FAN, THE WRESTLER), which has been described as "being akin to The Social Network and There Will Be Blood."
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 into a position to be able to pull the company from the brothers and create a billion-dollar empire.
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Sources have told THR Michael Keaton met with John Lee Hancock earlier this week about the project, and has received an offer to play Ray Kroc.
Keaton has received a lot of love recently for his BIRDMAN role, and I'm sure he'll just as good in THE FOUNDER if he does decide to join the film. Who would you like to see play McDonald brothers?
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