Deuce's Wild

ALL BETS ARE OFF!

In a city ruled by cards, crime, and queer desire, one wrong bet could cost everything.

This is a high-stakes, modern crime story set in Chicago’s underground, where every move is a gamble—and the house always wins. Think Drive meets Queen’s Gambit with the psychological heat of Othello.

🟢 Greenlight Coverage: RECOMMEND
🎭 Featuring “The Duo”—a live musical chorus that shadows the story like a modern Greek tragedy
💀Told through the lens of modern noir and LGBTQ+ rebellion

It’s sexy, sharp, and ready to go.

You got my name, kid. STARR. Deuce Starr

DEUCE’S WILD

When the Queen is killed, the deck is reshuffled. In a neon-soaked Chicago, betrayal cuts deeper than bullets, and every love story is laced with danger.

DJ Manning’s latest modern noir masterpiece blends searing romance, ruthless ambition, and poetic justice in a city where the house always wins.

Greenlight Coverage: RECOMMEND

Genre: Modern Noir / LGBTQ+ ThrillerStyle: Body Heat meets Kiss Kiss Bang Bang with a shot of The Godfather.

In the underbelly of Chicago, a dangerous new player with an old name is forced to choose between legacy and loyalty. Some debts are paid in blood.

DEUCE’S WILD

Genre: Crime Thriller / Neo-Noir

Format: Feature Film

Setting: Present-Day Chicago

Tone: John Wick meets Body Heat with a modern queer edge.

LOGLINE

When a smooth-talking bartender inherits a Chicago crime empire he never asked for, he’s forced into a deadly game of bloodlines, betrayal, and seduction—where every move could be his last. and a city that never deals a fair hand.

SYNOPSIS

When Deuce, a rising player in Chicago’s underground, gets tangled in a high-stakes love triangle with a kingpin and a rogue enforcer, the house rules start to break. With corrupt cops closing in, old bloodlines exposed, and loyalties shattered, only one thing is certain—the house always wins.

KEY CHARACTERS

DEUCE STARR (30s) – Reluctant heir. Cool, guarded, queer.
JACK (late 30s) – lover. Deadly charm. Double-edged.
KING (50s) – Deuce’s father. Ruthless crime boss
QUEEN (60s) – Glamorous ex-Vegas showgirl turned queen pin. Holds the real power.
SIX (20s) – Hustler. Sharp. Hiding a shared bloodline.
ROBERTO / ACE / TEN – Bartender, fixer, dirty cop. All dangerous.
The Duo — a live musical pair embedded in the story world — perform reimagined, haunting covers of iconic songs ("The Night Chicago Died," "Runaway Train," "The Gambler") at key moments. More than performers, they're a modern-day Greek chorus, watching, commenting, and threading emotion and irony through the

action. Think Vonda Shepard meets Hadestown. They don’t narrate the story—they bleed it.

• Notable Moments:
Singing "Goodbye to Love" as the Gambling goes south amid gunfire.
Backing "The Night Chicago Died" as bodies hit the floor.
Delivering a single knowing line to Deuce before the final showdown.

WHY NOW?

A fast-paced, genre-twisting thriller with a bold LGBTQ+ heartbeat, Deuce’s Wild blends noir nostalgia with a modern edge. Stylish, sexy, and unpredictable—this is the kind of story that turns crime drama on its head.

P.S.
We don’t call it out directly, but keep an eye on The Duo—they’re our modern-day Greek chorus, threading music and meaning through the chaos. And Deuce & Jack? They’re the most unapologetic, raw, and unforgettable duo I’ve ever written. You’ll feel them in your bones.