Fisher Stevens to Direct Ozone Drama ‘The Montreal Protocol’ From Highly Flammable and Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way (EXCLUSIVE)

“Beckham” director Fisher Stevens is set to helm climate drama “The Montreal Protocol,” about a true story of underdog scientists who set out to repair the hole in the ozone layer and avoided a global environmental catastrophe.

Jess Kimball Leslie (“Kings of America”) is adapting the story, which is in development at Stevens’ production company Highly Flammable along with Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way (“The Right Stuff,” “The Revenant”) as well as New State Pictures and Curiosity Rights. RandomGood Films (“Beyond Utopia”) is financing the development.

RandomGood, Highly Flammable, and Appian collaborated most recently on “We Are Guardians.”

Related Stories

VIP+

AI in Animation Is Not an All-or-Nothing Proposition

How to Watch F1 Mexico City Grand Prix 2024 Online Without Cable

The movement to repair the hole in the ozone layer – which began in the early 1970s and continued for over 20 years – is considered one of the most successful environmental initiatives ever.

It was the research of atmospheric scientist Dr. Susan Solomon, who discovered what was causing the rip in the protective layer above earth’s surface, that paved the way to avert disaster. At just 30 years old, Solomon and a team of U.S. scientists ventured into Antarctica to collect crucial evidence that proved chemicals chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) were linked to ozone depletion. Without that protective layer, the planet would be exposed to dangerous levels of UV radiation with a potential catastrophe set to unfold by 2065.

The result of Solomon’s excursion to the Antarctic – where she and her team faced not only inhospitable conditions but risked their own reputations – resulted in a shift in public opinion and, in turn, a shift in world leaders’ attitude to the crisis. It eventually led to the establishment of the Montreal Protocol, which to this day remains the world’s only universally ratified global environmental treaty.

“An exploration of the successful collective effort between scientists, governments, corporations, the press, and consumers all over the world, ‘The Montreal Protocol’ is a powerful reminder of what can be achieved when the world unites to address a crisis,” said Stevens. “Today, our greatest hope lies in collaboration and courage, as we strive to mend the damage inflicted on our planet before it’s too late. We solved the problem before and we can do it again!”

Stevens, who has directed “Palmer,” The Lincoln Project” and the Emmy award-winning “Beckham” among other projects, will also produce “The Montreal Project” alongside Highly Flammable partners Zak Kilberg and Maura Anderson. Phillip Watson, Jennifer Davisson and Leonardo DiCaprio are producing for Appian Way, along with Ana Emdin for New State Pictures and J.D. Zacharias for Curiosity Rights. Christopher Gebhardt and Randy Gebhardt executive produce for RandomGood Films.

Highly Flammable is repped by WME and Gray Schwartz LLP. Fisher is repped by WME, Untitled and Danny Passman. Kimball Leslie is repped by WME, TFC and Yorn Levine.