Oscar Winner Martin McDonagh Sets Next Film After ‘Three Billboards’ Success — First Details

Martin McDonagh is gearing up to return to filmmaking two years after his last project, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri,” dominated the Oscars with six nominations and two wins: Best Actress for Frances McDormand and Best Supporting Actor for Sam Rockwell. Variety confirms McDonagh will go into production this year on his follow-up project, an untitled two-hander set on an Irish isle. The script follows two lifelong friends on a remote Irish isle who face dark consequences after one of them decide to abruptly end their friendship. A cast for the film has not yet been announced. McDonagh will team with his “Three Billboards” production duo Searchlight Pictures and Film 4 on the project. Searchlight will distribute McDonagh’s latest worldwide.

McDonagh’s upcoming project will be his fourth feature following “In Bruges,” “Seven Psychopaths,” and “Three Billboards.” Film 4 has been behind all of McDonagh’s film projects. Both “In Bruges” and “Three Billboards” landed the director Oscar nominations for Best Original Screenplay, while “Three Billboards” was his first to compete for Best Picture. Searchlight released “Three Billboards” in November 2017 to $54 million in the U.S. and $160 million worldwide, a strong run for a drama that cost in the $12 million range to produce. McDonagh’s film debut was the short film “Six Shooter,” which won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film.

Per Variety: “The deal for McDonagh’s next movie was brokered by Searchlight Pictures EVP Business Affairs Megan O’Brien, CAA Media Finance, McKeown for Blueprint Pictures, and Film4 head of business affairs Cassandra Carias. McDonagh is represented by CAA and Knight Hall Agency.”

Outside of filmmaking, McDonagh is widely known as the acclaimed playwright behind “The Cripple of Inishmaan,” “The Pillowman,” and “Hangmen.” The latter is set to open on Broadway for the first time this March. “Three Billboards” was the director’s biggest film success to date and won him Best Screenplay honors at the Golden Globes. The drama world premiered at the Venice Film Festival where it divided critics, despite universal acclaim for McDormand’s leading performance. Searchlight has not announced a release date for McDonagh’s next feature film but production is expected to take place this year.