Focus Features has purchased the Matthew McConaughey lead biopic, The Dallas Buyers Club. The production house – behind films like Moonrise Kingdom and The Kids Are Alright – has plans to release the film in theaters during the second half of this year. In the Jean-Marc Vallée (The Young Victoria) directed film McConaughey plays the central character Ron Woodroof, who the film is loosely based on. Woodroof is the real life founder of the Dallas Buyers Club. After contracting HIV in the 1980’s, Woodroof inadvertently creates an underground club that supplies its paying members with alternative medications for AIDS, smuggled in by Woodroof from all across the world. The club eventually attracted the attention of both the FDA and pharmaceutical companies, sparking outrage.

McConaughey dropped 40 pounds to play the role of Woodroof, who was given 30 days to live, but survived for an additional six years. The supporting cast of the film includes Timothy Green actress Jennifer Garner, who plays Woodroof’s doctor, and Jared Leto in the role of Rayon, a transsexual woman. The screenplay was written by newcomer Craig Borten and Meet Bill’s Melisa Wallack. Check out an interview with McConaughey where he talks about The Dallas Buyers Club below. An official release date should be announced soon.