As predicted, the casting announcements for Robert Zemeckis‘ live-action filmmaking return have not slowed down. We last reported that John Goodman had joined the cast as a character who befriends Denzel Washington. THR now reports The Fighter Oscar-winner Melissa Leo has joined the film as an investigator, which looks like she has taken the part originally offered to Frances McDormand. The Pacific star James Badge Dale is also on board as “gaunt dying cancer patient.”
Meanwhile, Shadow & Act found a tweet from Garcelle Beauvais, who has confirmed her casting in the film as an estranged wife to Washington’s character, who plays “an alcoholic and drug-addicted pilot whose plane engine malfunctions, forcing him to rescue the aircraft and its passengers, becoming a hero in the process. When the FAA investigates and finds evidence of drug abuse, it tries to sweep the evidence to the side to help preserve the image of the captain, who is trying to change the course of his life.”
John Gatins, who has Real Steel coming out soon, is behind the script for the film also starring Don Cheadle, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly and Brian Geraghty. The addition of Dale, who has a great upcoming supporting performance in Steve McQueen‘s Shame, as well Leo, make this one of the best ensembles of 2012. I’ve been eager for Zemeckis to return to live-action films and this looks like great material.
What do you think of the latest cast additions?