Standing at one of the more prolific stages in his entire career — six months after Les Misérables, currently seen exposition-ing Man of Steel, and forthcoming work in Darren Aronofsky‘s Noah & Akiva Goldsman‘s Winter’s Tale — Russell Crowe has decided to step outside the comfort zone. Not with another record, thankfully, but through directing, as Deadline have news that the actor is expected to helm and lead a period piece known as The Water Diviner. Again: no singing! We think.
Using a script penned by Andrew Anastasios and Andrew Knight, it’s a 1919-set tale sparked when two boys are without a trace following brutal conflict in Gallipoli. Hoping to make a recovery, their father (Crowe) travels from Australia to Turkey; naturally, it’s this search which likely comprises much of The Water Diviner‘s central conflict. Although little else about the project is noted, with these points it sounds like the type of small-scale endeavor a first-time director (such as he) would be best-advised to handle.
Hopscotch Features and Fear of God Films are producing The Water Diviner. Their provided start window is simply “later this year,” sure to be due in large part to the fact that few (possibly none) of Crowe‘s yet-to-shoot titles have solid schedules of their own laid out. After a number of aborted jumps behind the camera, talk about now truly being the right time.
What do you think of Crowe trying his hand at directing? Is this the correct choice?