We reported back in August that Atom Egoyan would be directing the feature Devil’s Knot, based on the case of the West Memphis Three. THR now tells us that busy starlet Reese Witherspoon has been attached to star in the feature.
Based on Mara Leveritt’s nonfiction book Devil’s Knot: The True Story of the West Memphis Three, the film will explore the brutal 1993 Arkansas murders of three 8-year-old boys. Jessie Misskelley Jr., Damien Echols and Jason Baldwin were convicted of the crime, which was first chronicled in Joe Berlinger and Bruce Sinofsky‘s Paradise Lost documentaries. After 18 years in prison, the trio were finally released this past August.
Witherspoon will play the mother of one of the murder victims, who is convinced of the trio’s guilt at the beginning of the trial, but is ultimately troubled by thoughts of doubt. After winning the Oscar for Walk the Line back in 2005, Witherspoon has definitely taken on darker roles and Devil’s Knot is no exception, especially considering her big part in Jeff Nichols‘ Take Shelter follow-up Mud next year.
Richard Saperstein, Elizabeth Fowler and Clark Peterson will produce the project, with Scott Derrickson and Paul Boardman writing the script — the duo also wrote The Exorcism of Emily Rose and the upcoming Poltergeist remake. Shooting will begin next spring.
Do you think Witherspoon is a good fit for Devil’s Knot?