Steve McQueen

Source: Richard Wareham Fotografie / Alamy Stock Photo

Steve McQueen

Apple Original Films has acquired Steve McQueen’s upcoming wartime drama Blitz in what the company said was a competitive situation.

McQueen will write, direct and produce the stories of Londoners during the Second World War German air raids. Filming is set to commence later this year.

McQueen’s Lammas Park is producing alongside Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner of Working Title Films, and Arnon Milchan, Yariv Milchan and Michael Schaefer of New Regency, where McQueen made the best picture Oscar winner 12 Years A Slave and Widows.

New Regency developed and packaged Blitz under McQueen’s first-look deal.

Apple Original Films’ Coda won the best picture Oscar in March and the company has been in the mood for statement buys this year.

It picked up Cooper Raiff’s Sundance U.S. Dramatic Audience Award winner Cha Cha Real Smooth, set to open theatrically and on Apple TV+ on June 17, and swooped in Cannes on the Riz Ahmed and Jessie Buckley sci-fi romance package Fingernails.