One of Hollywood’s most heralded actresses and, judging by her career thus far, one that could earn the same acclaim in the years to come, are joining forces for a new project. ScreenDaily reports that Meryl Streep has taken a small role alongside Carey Mulligan in the drama Suffragette. Directed by Sarah Gavron (Brick Lane), the film follows the Never Let Me Go star as “a foot soldier of the early feminist movement” who quickly turns to violence to solve the issue.
Streep will figure in as Emmeline Pankhurst, a key figure in the British suffragette movement, who, in the film, will give a rousing speech, so don’t expect on screen for too long. With a script from Abi Morgan (reteaming with both actresses after The Iron Lady and Shame), the drama is set to kick off production next week in the U.K. and we expect a 2015 premiere.
Update: ScreeDaily also reports that Ben Whishaw, Brendan Gleeson, Romola Garai, Anne-Marie Duff and Samuel West have joined the ensemble, which also includes Helena Bonham Carter.
In other casting news, following the Sundance premiere of his thriller A Most Wanted Man (our review), Anton Corbijn has already begun production on his follow-up in Canada and today brings new additions to the cast. The Wrap reports that Ben Kingsley and Alessandra Mastronardi (To Rome With Love) have joined Robert Pattinson and Dane DeHaan in Life.
As scripted by Luke Davies, the story centers on the relationship between James Dean (DeHaan) and Life Magazine‘s Dennis Stock (Pattinson), the latter of whom had been tasked with capturing the up-and-coming actor less than a year before his rise to stardom and tragic death. There’s no word who our newcomers to the project will play, but one can check out the official synopsis below.
Stock (Pattinson) was 26 years old when fledgling star Dean (DeHaan) entered his buttoned-down world. Dean was a free spirit who would change popular culture from suits to jeans and from matinee idols to teenage heartthrobs. The 1955 Life magazine assignment, which took the pair on a photographic journey across the U.S. from Los Angeles to New York and on to Indiana, would change Stock’s life and provide the world with some of the most iconic images of the age.
Lastly, with Thor: The Dark World helmer Alan Taylor set to direct Terminator: Genesis, Emilia Clarke (Game of Thrones) on board for Sarah Connor and Jason Clarke (Zerk Dark Thirty) locked in as John Connor, another piece of the puzzle has been found.
Variety reports that Jai Courtney has signed on for the role of Kyle Reese, father of John Connor and love interest to Sarah Connor, and previously played by Anton Yelchin and Michael Biehn. After being a lead in the bargain bin-level fifth Die Hard, a co-star in a Tom Cruise vehicle and more, Hollywood’s clearly trying to make him “happen,” but we can’t say we’re convinced yet. Nevertheless, scripted by Laeta Kalogridis and Patrick Lussier, Terminator: Genesis will arrive on July 1st, 2015.
Which of the above projects are you most looking forward to?