I’m starting to get déjà vu today. Early this morning news broke that John Malkovich has confirmed his role as the villain in Spider-Man 4, then later one actor has been replaced by another actor in another big budget comic-book adaptation. Now Heat Vision Blog reports that John Malkovich has replaced another actor (John C. Reilly in this case) in the comic-book adaptation of Red. They cite no reason for the replacement but that the “part will allow Malkovich to exercise his comic sensibilities as he plays retired a CIA agent, a contemporary of Willis’, who is erratic and paranoid that everyone is out to kill him and joins Willis in is quest to find out who wants them dead.” He will join the aforementioned Bruce Willis as well as Morgan Freeman, Helen Mirren, Mary-Louise Parker, Brian Cox, Richard Dreyfuss, Julian McMahon, and Ernest Borgnine. Robert Schwenke (The Time Traveler’s Wife, Flightplan) is directing while Jon and Erich Hoeber, who were behind Whiteout, wrote the script. Red, the three issue series, is about a retired CIA agent who is living a comfortable life in retirement until one day a “high-tech assassin” is sent to kill him.
Production is starting in Toronto this week for a November release.
What do you think about Malkovich taking over for Reilly? Looking forward to Red?