Actor-filmmaker Matt Ross, who is popular for helming Captain Fantastic (2016), has been attached as the director to the screen adaptation of Don Winslow's best-seller City on Fire, starring Austin Butler as the lead.

City on Fire is the first book of the City trilogy: City on Fire, City on Dreams and City in Ruins. The trilogy focuses on an Irish and an Italian criminal empire fighting to take control of New England; that's when a contemporary Helen of Troy foils their sinistral ambitions, sparking off a war. This maelstrom necessitates Danny Ryan, a street soldier, to turn into a responsible leader to fight for his people against the mafia.

All three books were named Amazon Best Books of the Year.

Apart from his directorial credits 28 Hotel Rooms and Captain Fantastic, he has also acted in films such as 12 Monkeys (1995), American Psycho (2000) and The Aviator (2004).

The film, penned by Challengers writer Justin Kuritzkes, will be produced by Butler along with David Heyman of Heyday Films and Shane Salerno of The Story Factory.