Never did I think some long-held disinterest in Dr. Who would leave me in any state of disadvantage. Yet, amazingly, as much may be applying right here, since Variety report that the show’s current star, Matt Smith, has been signed for what, rather boldly, is referred to as “the male lead” in Ryan Gosling‘s first directorial outing, How to Catch a Monster. Here’s what’s leaving me in a tizzy: just last night, our roster had expanded to, by that account, include Christina Hendricks, Ben Mendelsohn, and Eva Mendes — all of whom I have familiarity with. This guy, the one in the huge spot? None. (The same goes for Rob Zabrecky, but he probably has a lesser input.)

Even less helpful is the fact that Variety don’t say what that spot would constitute. At its center, Monster follows a mother and her teenage son who are “swept into a macabre and dark fantasy underworld while [he] discovers a secret road leading to an underwater town” — but could Smith, a 30-year-old-actor, play someone at least eleven years younger than himself? If not, there’s sure to be some kind of central antagonist (maybe even a monster that needs to be caught), a position which would, arguably, be of greater interest. To myself, at least.

These concerns are really just minor, though; knowing how much people love him on (and as) Dr. Who, it should prove as some wise casting on Gosling‘s part when this all shakes out. It’s even better for Smith: he’ll call this his American film debut, and with a good central performance in what’s sure to be a high-profile film… you get the idea. So, looked at bit by bit, this news included, How to Catch a Monster is emerging as one of the more peculiar endeavors any English-language actor can say to be a part of. In this instance, I happen to like peculiar very much.

Now that Smith is taking center stage, are your perceptions of Gosling’s film any different?