Elvis star Austin Butler has been tapped to play a crime boss in the City On Fire movie adaptation of best-selling author Don Winslow's novel.

In the book, which spans decades and draws inspiration from the epics of Ancient Greek literature, a modern-day Helen of Troy brings the two reigning crime families of New England, one Irish and one Italian, into an all-out war. City on Fire was published last year; the sequel, City of Dreams, will be published later this month. The concluding book of the trilogy, City in Ruins, is forthcoming.

Austin Butler has signed on to produce and star in the upcoming crime drama, "City on Fire". The film, which is based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed author Don Winslow, follows the rise of a criminal from low-ranking soldier to boss during a war between an Irish gang and the Italian mob. The book is part of a trilogy of novels, and it's expected that, if the film does well enough, Butler could be the centerpiece of this new crime franchise.

"Like so many people around the world I was amazed by Austin Butler’s Oscar-nominated performance in 'Elvis', " Winslow said. "I've had a number of conversations with Austin about this trilogy that I've been working on for almost thirty years of my life and I have been deeply impressed by his commitment to playing Danny Ryan as well as his passion to also produce the three films with David and Shane and Elizabeth and Marisa."

The film will mark the actor’s first role since his Oscar-nominated for playing Elvis Presley in Baz Luhrmann’s "Elvis", as well as his first as a producer. Butler will produce the picture alongside David Heyman and Shane Salerno.

Source: Press Release