After signing onto star in The Necessary Death of Charlie Countryman back in 2010, then handing the role over to heartthrob Zac Efron, Variety is now telling us that bad boy Shia LaBeouf is once again starring, with Fredrik Bond directing and Black List alum Matt Drake writing the script.
After playing what seems to be a nice little game of duck, duck, goose, we have clear evidence that Voltage and Bona Fide Productions are starting pre-production on the “gritty pulp romance.” LaBeouf is stationed as the title character, who is a “normal guy who falls for a woman who has been claimed by a violent crime boss.” The source for all this madness seems to be scheduling conflicts on LaBeouf‘s end, due to Transformers and what not.
The duo behind Little Miss Sunshine, Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa, are set to produce through Bona Fide, alongside The Kite Runner‘s Bill Horberg, and Craig J. Flores producing for Voltage. Flores has worked with LaBeouf before while shooting The Company You Keep and “jumped at the idea of working with him again on Charlie Countryman.” He also stated that, “the spark in this amazing script, mixed with Shia’s pure talent and Fredrik’s masterful ability to create an elevated love story we just can’t get enough of — will redefine pulp romance.”
Although I’m not particular to LaBeouf in any role, he seems to be taking on stronger roles post-Hollywood blockbusters. He’ll next be seen in John Hillcoat‘s The Wettest County, which landed high on our most-anticipated films of 2012 list, out August 31st.
Are you happy to see Charlie Countryman up and running again?