As a great admirer of Andrew Garfield, it was not without the slight weight of melancholy that I had read through this Huffington Post interview, wherein the actor admitted that his commitment to the franchise — since extended to four films, a number that will see things run until 2018 — has been taking away time that, otherwise, could have been spent on films in accordance with what launched it all. (Boy A, Never Let Me Go, Red Riding 1974, et al.) Needless to say, it’s a relief to read, just a week later, that he’ll get back around to that sort of thing with 99 Homes, a picture written and directed by Ramin Bahrani. [THR]
Like his most recent feature, At Any Price, this film’s content revolves, in part, around economic troubles: Garfield will be seen as a man whose home is lost in a foreclosure, but is soon able to attain financial solace employed under the real estate broker responsible for this original loss. Moral conflicts ensue when our protagonist is not only charged with evicting others, but asked to assist his boss in an embezzling scam — the bank account soars as the moral compass goes astray, etc. If 99 Homes sounds a little too likely to find itself drenched in polemics, hold out hope while, too, being thankful Garfield added some more variety to his plate.
In Variety, it’s said that Ewan McGregor and Gwyneth Paltrow are likely to board Mortdecai, the thriller to which David Koepp and Johnny Depp — it’s that Secret Window reunion we always hoped for! — had become attached earlier in the month. Scripted by Eric Aronson — who is adapting Kyril Bonfiglioli‘s book series — it follows an assignment bestowed upon Charles Mortdecai, the “cool” kind of art dealer: after all, he’s asked to traverse the planet in search “a stolen painting rumored to contain the code to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold.” Most in this profession just hang out at galleries and try to get some sales commission in their pocket.
McGregor and Paltrow have not been saddled with any kind of character description, but, if you really want to know what’s happening behind the scenes, Lionsgate expect Koepp to have production off the ground before 2013 comes to a close. Show just a little patience, folks — it makes life much easier.
Meanwhile, Deadline tell us his Never Let Me Go co-star, Carey Mulligan, has found her own project — and, no matter what the title could suggest, it is not a Brian De Palma remake. This new project, The Fury, instead centers on the suffragist movement which swept England around the middle of the 19th century. No other components of its narrative have been made public, unfortunately, though we do know Abi Morgan — co-writer on the Mulligan-starring Shame — is scripting the project for British helmer Sarah Gavron.
Focus Features, Film 4, and Ruby Films are to back The Fury.
Finally, news from THR would tell us Abigail Breslin will fill the title role in Maggie, a zombie-centered title that’s expected to star Arnold Schwarzenegger. Last month, news told us he’d take a major role for newcomer Henry Hobson, playing a father who guides his daughter down her unfortunate path toward zombiedom in an undead-infected society. As things are gearing up for a fall start, this ought to fall right into the producers’ schedules.
Lotus Entertainment, Silver Reel, Gold Star Films, Silverlining Media Group, and Schwarzenegger are behind the title.
Do any of the casting bits noted here generate enthusiasm?