Mud
Director: Jeff Nichols
Screenwriter: Jeff Nichols
Cast: Matthew McConaughey, Tye Sheridan, Jacob Lofland, Reese Witherspoon, Michael Shannon, Sam Shepard, Sarah Paulson
Lionsgate Films
Rated PG-13 | 131 Minutes
Release Date: April 26, 2013

Written and directed by Jeff Nichols, Mud stars Matthew McConaughey as the title character, a charismatic desperado on the run from ruthless bounty hunters.

“Galen said it’s been here awhile. He thinks the last flood did it.” Neckbone, an adolescent boy in camouflage pants and a Fugazi t-shirt, and his friend Ellis are exploring a small island on the Mississippi River where they discover a motorboat stuck in the branches of a twisted old tree.

Like Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer, Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) and Ellis (Tye Sheridan) are two poor boys on a great adventure through the American South. After investigating the motorboat, the two encounter Mud, a drifter with a gun in his waistband and crosses in his heels – nails in the shape of crosses – that protect him from evil spirits.

After taking a stab at writing and directing Let Me In, Matt Reeves attached himself to helm a new version of The Twilight Zone for Warner Bros. Unlike the last Twilight Zone film, which consisted of multiple vignettes directed by a variety of filmmakers like Steven Spielberg, George Miller, and John Landis, this iteration would only have one director. However, it’s been a year since the announcement was made and the film is no closer to starting principal photography. As a result, Reeves is exiting the project.

Variety reports that with Reeves out as director, WB has sent out a directing assignment to find the right person to direct. No word yet on who received the assignment. There were no reported creative conflicts between the two parties, however, Reeves’ schedule played a huge part in his decision to leave The Twilight Zone remake. Reeves is currently attached to projects like The Passage, This Dark Endeavor, and The Invisible Woman, which leads us to an interesting development for Dawn of Planet of the Apes.